Absolution
by TigerTiger02
Summary: Castiel retrieves Sam & Dean for a mission from God. Guess they didn't expect it to be an a broken girl that has a enough secrets to choke a person. Or that she'd be one mouthy girl. Blasphemy ridden and Shameless Castiel/OC summary sucks so check it out
1. Your Heart Is An Empty Room

Title: Absolution

Author: TigerTiger02

Chapter Title: Your Heart Is An Empty Room

Spoilers: pretty much if you haven't seen any season four you probably shouldn't be reading this since Castiel is featured heavily. Pre-"I Know What You Did Last Summer"…. And considering this has been Kripke'd (although I've been working on it for a good month) I think you all know where this is heading…

Summary: Castiel's retrieves Sam and Dean for a mission from God. Guess they didn't expect it to be an a broken girl that has a enough secrets to choke a person. Blasphemy ridden and Shameless Castiel/OC.

Disclaimer: not mine, if it was I would totally take Castiel home as pet, he's just so darn cute!

Dedication: to Nikki, who urged me to post this even though I was sorely tempted not.

* * *

They're in Michigan, already fast asleep, when Castiel appears in their hotel room. Of course Dean already knew he was there when he woke up but Sam had fallen off his bed with a start. Somehow Dean always knew when the angel was close by, he blamed it on the mark on his shoulder. Once Sam recovered from his fall and Dean had pulled on a pair of pants (grousing to Castiel about no sense of personal space or modesty) the angel spoke.

"There is something… _someone_ you need to retrieve." Dean felt his eyebrows raise and he frowned slightly.

"Well which is it? Something or someone?" Dean asked his voice gruff.

"It's… complicated. Isabella Monroe is… extremely complicated." The angel's voice, or rather the vessel's voice, was weary and tired.

"Isabella Monroe? Why does that sound familiar?" Sam asked out loud. His brow was furrowed and Dean knew that his brother would be stuck on research mode for the next couple of days.

"It shouldn't." Castiel said with a frown. "Isabella Monroe is a fairly insignificant mortal. She is unnoticeable… Isabella Monroe was created to not be noticed, to be uniform and conformed."

"So what's the problem? Sam probably just knows someone with a similar name."

"The point is that no one should know her or remember her with the exception of the people hand chosen. That is the problem. Sam is not one of those hand picked people."

"Who is the chick anyway? Why is she so important?"

"She is… it is difficult to explain but she is essentially a weapon… of sorts." Castiel seemed hesitant to even reveal that much.

"What? What kind of weapon are we talking about here, like kick-ass chick with powers or like chick with powers that could end the world?" Dean asked curiously. Castiel turned his eyes to Dean, piercing him with a solemnity that never ceased to amaze the man.

"She could rip apart existence by sneezing if she wanted, which is why we locked her in a human body, it was the only way we could make sure no one could find her and use her. But like all human bodies she is susceptible to being killed."

"What the hell were you thinking? Putting a dangerous weapon on Earth? You're supposed to protect us! Not put Atomic-Bomb Girl smack dab in the middle!" Dean's voice is harsh and hard, its one of the moments in time when hears himself speak and feels like its John's words and voice coming out of his mouth, not his own.

"The only way that can happen is if the body is killed, the blood is spilled, and the right words spoken. Then Lilith can take control of the being inside of the body. I do _not_ intend to let that happen." Castiel's voice is threaded with determination and Dean blinks at him slightly.

"Is she one of the Seals?" Sam asks suddenly, curiosity coloring his voice. Castiel levels his eyes at Sam.

"In a way. She can easily break the Seals without a thought. It must be why Lilith is after her. It is curious you ask about that…" He trails off and there's implication in his words. Dean picks up his thought process and turns to Sam, his eyes blazing.

"Ruby mentioned Isabella Monroe, didn't she?" he hisses angrily and Sam winces for a split second before blinking rapidly.

"She might have said something…" Sam says after a long moment, Dean was sure he was lying, at least a little bit. He only did that blinking thing when he lied.

"And what did she say?" Sometimes getting straight answers from Sam was like pulling teeth.

"She said that she had better things to do… like keep watch on Isabella Monroe… it was a while back…" Castiel starts slightly and there's a fluid, quick utterance in a language neither of the boys recognize. Dean figures it must be Aramaic or some shit.

"She's located Isabella Monroe; we must extract her before Lilith gets wind of this." Castiel says and he looks around the room. "Pack quickly. Isabella is not too far from here."

Ten minutes later Castiel is seated next to Dean. Sam had waved his hand and said that he had a headache before seating himself in back. Already the kid was fast asleep. Dusk had fallen already and it was probably ten at night as they took off.

"So tell me about Isabella Monroe." Dean demanded slightly as he took a quick right. The angel says nothing for a long moment, just stares out the window but eventually he speaks.

"She is very precious to this world… to us… to my father… though she could destroy the world she has a great capacity for healing the world…" He pulls out a wallet and Dean nearly laughs at the thought of an angel carrying around a wallet, let alone pictures. In one of the plastic picture holders is the slightly crinkled picture of a girl. It looks like Castiel has gazed at the picture many times as the photo is worn.

"Is that her?" Dean asks curiously. Castiel hands him the photo hesitantly and Dean takes a moment to memorize the face. Long bangs falling across a forehead, dark colored hair, bright eyes and pale skin. High cheekbones and edged features creating harshness but a softly rounded chin and full lips negating the harshness. In the picture she was staring at the camera directly, face solemn and calm. There's a piercing quality to her eyes, something depthless and eternal. She's beautiful in an exotic sort of way, unconventionally beautiful. The photo is in black and white and it only makes her seem paler, ethereal. But the moment Dean hands the photo back to Castiel he's forgotten her face.

"Pretty, isn't she? But forgettable." For a moment the melancholy in the angel's eyes spread to the rest of him and he looks weary.

"What else?" Dean asks in the quiet. He doesn't bother with the radio, Sam would probably kill him and Castiel would be bothered by his choice in music.

"She is completely unaware of the power she holds her body… I wish I could keep it that way."

"How do you mean?"

"Over two thousand years ago she was an angel. Like me. Like Uriel. Like Lucifer once was… they were the first two creations of my father. They were meant to be companions for him but he was lonely and yearned for more. Lucifer and Isabella were twins you could say… after the Morning Star's fall the decision was made that Isabella was too dangerous to remain in angelic form. I… I hope you do not judge me."

"No worries man." Dean says, he may seem like the brawn to Sam's brains but he's pretty good at being sensitive when the moment calls for it.

"I rebelled against my father. I raged and screamed, threw a tantrum like a small child. I… I was in _love_ with her." The angel went silent and Dean felt a pang of sympathy of the otherworldly man.

"So what happened?" he asked quietly after a few minutes of silence.

"She… she calmed me down, told me there was a reason for this. Told me she feared the same from herself. She was afraid of her power, afraid that she would one day agree with her brother, despite the fact that she loved humans with all of her heart. She acquiesced to our father's request. She's was imprisoned in the body of a faithful follower, never knowing her true form, never knowing the power she holds, forgetting all she loved and held dear. Every generation she is born and grows and dies all for the process to be repeated. And I… I am _forbidden_ to acknowledge her existence, to seek her out and try to put things right once more."

"So why are you allowed to now?"

"Because if she is not kept away from Lilith then the world will end and Lucifer will walk the earth once more."

"And?"

"And I am the only one who can release her, other than through force and spilling her human blood. I am the only one that can unlock her prison."

"And why is that?"

"Because we are connected, we joined souls in a way to pledge our love to each other. Our father wants her intact, wants to use her as a weapon, and wants her memories and knowledge. I am the only one that can cause her to remember. The only one who can release her, control her, protect her…"

"Because you love each other… by the way I thought you angels weren't supposed to love."

"We can. We have a great capacity for love. We are just not supposed to love humans in a carnal sense."

"Oh." And Dean goes back to driving and from the corner of his eye he can see Castiel gazing at the picture longingly, a single finger caressing the pretty face captured within.

* * *

At that very moment Isabella Monroe was just getting home from work. She yawned and stretched as she tossed her purse and light jacket on the couch next to her friend Eve. Eve looked up from her book and smiled.

"How was work?"

"Boring. What's for dinner?"

"Meh. Beats me." Eve stands as she speaks and stretches. Isabella picks up the book and laughs.

"The _bible_? Really? How many times have you read it?"

"Probably not nearly as much as you." Eve says snarkily and moves into the kitchen to rummage around in the fridge. Isabella rolls her eyes and slouches to her room.

She's twenty-four with no direction, still taking photographs on the side, taking a couple of classes at the community college, and still working at some shit animal hospital. Isabella thinks that she is destined for something bigger and better. It's just a feeling but that feeling swells in her chest and practically swallows everything she is. She's floating through life; college paid for with guilt money and no idea what the hell she wants to be when she grows up. It's been two years since she quit the coke, just sticking to alcohol whenever she needed a few moments of peace.

She takes a quick shower, a glass of vodka lemonade in her hand and the water is scalding hot. She doesn't dry her hair but does brush it out. In her bedroom she turns on her stereo and puts on _Death Cab for Cutie_. Like she does a lot she stands in front of the mirror, trying to figure out why this body doesn't feel like her own. Those are her hips, legs, ankles and her stomach and breasts. Those are her shoulders, a tad broad for a woman and her collar bone where another jagged scar of raised silver streamlines her left collar bone, from the hollow of her throat to her shoulder. She doesn't know where this scar came from, only that she had always had it since she could remember. Her eyes trailed up her neck, a smooth, pale column of throat to her face. From the edge of her high cheekbone, sharp and harsh to her delicate jaw line and her rounded chin, the pieces of her face that come together in a clash of features. Her wide eyes were a color she had never been able to name and her nose was straight and Romanesque. Eyebrows as dark as her hair and arched delicately, and finally her lips a full pout. All thrown together to make her. But the body had never felt like hers, the face didn't look like hers. It felt like it was a vessel, tight and sort of itchy. She catches her eyes in the mirror and frowns for a moment when another pair overlays them.

Isabella closes her eyes and wishes she could recall the face from her dreams. All she could remember were the eyes, a shade of blue she could never describe, like layers of blue atop each other, depthless and dizzying. The sky on a clear summer day, the ocean after a storm, the Caribbean Sea, all blues that shifted and faded and rose in those eyes. She opened her eyes and sighed before pulling on a pair of Victoria's Secret pajama pants and a Led Zeppelin t-shirt, a pair of non-descript panties underneath, pale pink and cotton. She brushes her teeth and finishes the alcohol in a gulp. It was just a little something to make her feel, or make her stop feeling. She doesn't know what is it but she feels too much to the point of pain, or doesn't feel anything at all. It fluctuates frequently, and right now she's feeling too much.

In the kitchen she pours herself another drink, humming slightly. Her skin feels too tight right now, too raw, everything she touches feels like sandpaper against her skin. She feels like she on the edge of a precipice and ready to fall. The alcohol burns its way down her throat and she stuffs a piece of chewing gum in her mouth and cracks a window. The cigarette between her fingers is lit and she feels the dim-headed dizziness from the alcohol. She never makes her drinks strong so she doesn't feel tipsy just happy, flushed, and light. She sits pressed against the cool glass of the window and flicks ashes to the street below. Eve sits at the other window across from her; they don't meet each other's eyes but keep talking. There's a steady flow of cigarettes and conversation and the feelings are starting to burn off.

Two hours later Eve is making tea for the two of them, they've stopped drinking and the buzz has faded. There's a knock at the door and Isabella stares at the door for a long moment before unfolding herself from her chair, still smoking a cigarette, rolling the menthol taste with vodka around in her mouth. She opens it to three men standing there. One of them hangs back slightly but the other two are forefront. Both are attractive, one is taller than the other and has the sweet, confused face of a puppy, or at least a man-puppy. The other screams danger and sex with brilliant hazel eyes and pouted lips. She can't see the third's face just his build, which is slightly shorter than the other short man but still taller than herself.

"Hi, I'm Dean Winchester and this is my brother Sam-."

"Eve?" she calls before he can say anything else and the man who calls himself Dean bursts into chuckles before clearing his throat sheepishly.

"What?" Eve calls from the kitchen and she can hear the kettle whistling.

"Did you order male _hookers_ again? Or _strippers_?" Isabella turns her eyes back to the three and frowns. "I'm going with hookers because they don't look like any male strippers I've seen. There are no cuffs either… which is kind of disappointing." Eve pads up behind her, blue eyes curious as she looks at the three.

"Uhm. No. Did you check and see if they're Jehovah Witnesses?"

"No." she turns her eyes back to the trio. "Well? What's the pitch boys?" she takes a drag and exhales to the side.

"We're actually not Jehovah Witnesses… although I guess you could mistake Cas for one." Dean says. She turns her eyes back to the shortest man who stands there awkwardly, his face averted and shadowed. She wishes she could see his face.

"Okay… well if you don't mind we have some things to do like sleep so-." She starts to close the door but a boot stops it.

"Look I'm not trying to be an intimidating dick but we're running out of time here." Dean says.

"Who said _you_ were intimidating short-stuff?" She snarls out and there's this distinct feeling of power rushing through her veins. In situations like this, when she's threatened, something happens to make her feel as though she can do something besides being a victim.

"Whoa, just calm down. We just really need to talk to you about some things." Sam says and she turns her eyes to him and feels on edge, something about him makes the hair on the back of her neck rise and a snarl tears from her lips before she can even think about it.

Behind her she can feel the knife Eve has pressed into her hand (having retrieved it when the booted foot prevented her from closing the door) and she wraps her fingers around the handle. She knows how to use it without actually having the knowledge. There is silence where no one knows if they should strike or what they should do. Then the shortest of them all, the one who hadn't shown his face, steps forward and their eyes lock and there's something inside of her bubbling and boiling to the surface, about to break and crack like delicately spun glass.

_"Isabella."_ His voice sounds like he's suffering and heartbroken but it's slightly rough and low and musical. It's a rasp of pain and a song of the heart. His eyes are the same eyes from her dream and she takes a ragged breath and steps back.

"What? I… _who_…" she stutters out, her breathing is sharp in her chest like glass and it hurts to look at him. She's gasping for air and the cigarette drops from her numb fingers. The knife clatters uselessly to the floor, he steps with her, and Eve is staring between her and the mysterious man.

Every step back she takes he takes a step forward. Before she knows it her back hits the wall and she's caged between the wall and the warm body in front of her. He's _beautiful_ and she closes her eyes as he comes closer, the lines of their bodies just barely brushing, her lungs feel like they're being _crushed_. When she opens her eyes again the pieces of his face come together in that too-pretty face.

_"Isabella."_ He whispers again, his full lips barely moving. She can't focus her eyes on his face anymore because he's too close; instead she catches bits and pieces. His hand comes up and rests gently on her cheek and she gasps harshly, the gasp ripping from her body like a sob. His fingers move to cup her cheek and her jaw.

His breath is hot in her face and it smells sweetly of something indefinable, and slightly spicy as if he had been chewing cinnamon gum only moments ago. She closes her eyes, swallowing heavily, and he's touching her and so **damn** close that it's making her _weak_. She has never felt so weak in her entire life, not even at her worst. Then his lips touch hers and she gives weak cry and a quick intake of air. The more he pushes his body against hers the more she feels as if she's being _ripped_ apart, but its not painful, its like taking off ones clothing on a hot summer day, peeling the sweaty, itching clothing away to go for a swim. And when he breathes her name into her mouth, soft like a lover, intimate like a lover, the world starts to bend and break not quite shattering yet. His free hand buries itself into her hair and she brings a hand up, fingers threading into his hair as she desperately kisses him. Her other hand clutches the lapel of his coat.

She can't stop. She doesn't know this man but she can't stop. She lets out a desperate moan and he swallows it up hungrily. Her heart thunders in her chest, there's something within her clawing to get out, and it feels like he's the one who can let it out.

"Please." She whimpers. She can hear Eve shouting something and the brothers are saying something too. Her knees buckle slightly and he catches her against him, breaking his mouth from hers finally (and God she wanted him so suddenly and fiercely it **hurts**).

"What the hell was that?" Eve voice is shaky and when Isabella finally looks at her she is trapped between the brothers. She looks somewhere partway between pissed and elated. The brothers are staring at them with stun but there's a weird, proud grin on Dean's face.

"I…" she clears her throat, its rough with the lust that has been injected into her veins."I don't know." She finally admits, her heart is thundering in her chest (humming really because it's beating that fucking fast) and the strange man is still holding her between the wall and himself. Her head is started to clear and she realizes that no matter how fucking good that felt the man is still some creeper so she shoves him away harshly and steps away from him. She puts distance between the two of them and shivers when she realizes that he stares at her intently, eyes almost caressing her. She swallows heavily.

"Will someone _please_ explain this shit?" Eve growls out and yanks her arms from the brothers. She stomps forward, faces the man who essentially violated Isabella and sucker punches him. He stares at her stunned and wipes the blood from his lip, eyes wide and confused. "Yeah that's right! I just fucking _bitch_ slapped you! How dare you _invade_ our home and _grope_ my friend! You have _no_ fucking-." Annoyed with her demeanor he raises two fingers and touches her forehead. She goes down like a roofied horse. Isabella stares at her for a moment before rushing forward and dropping to her knees. She checks her pulse before turning fierce eyes up at the man who whammied her friend.

"What the hell did you do to her? I swear I will _kill_ you if you hurt her…" the threat hangs in the air for a moment before Dean steps in.

"Look just listen to what he has to say… it's kind of important. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't." Isabella turns to him, fiercely eyeing Dean and he takes a step back, grey eyes… she had grey eyes but like Castiel there were layers and dimension to the eyes, making them bleed light, silver, and power.

"Don't tell me what to do. Spit out whatever the fuck you want to say and leave." She snarls out before turning back to Eve. Her fingers, delicate and long, skimmed the sides of Eve's face, then her forehead. "Eve." She called softly, her voice hushed and musical. "Wake up Eve… **Wake. Up**." Isabella tapped her fingers against Eve's temples and the girl's eyes shot open.

"The fuck?" Eve said while gasping harshly. Her eyes were wild and she turned a glare to Isabella. "I hate it when you wake me up like that!" she said and sat up.

"Sorry. I was kind of worried for a second. Who knows what the hell that was?" Isabella stood fluidly and helped Eve up.

"I'm just going to go sit down… I think your little boyfriend's whammy is going to make me pass out again." Isabella nodded and shot a glance at the man that made her heart race like she had done a line or two of coke.

"I'm getting a drink and when I come back we're going to sort through this." Isabella says.

In the kitchen she does a couple of shots of vodka; throwing them back they they're water. For a long moment she contemplates the bottle before doing another shot.

"Vodka? Huh… I really didn't peg you for a vodka-girl." She turns and Dean is standing there. He holds out his hands. "Don't worry; unlike my friend I can't roofie you with one touch. My name's Dean, Dean Winchester." He holds out his hand expectantly and she shakes his hand. He had already introduced himself but she doesn't care.

"Isabella Monroe. But I suppose you already know that." He nods.

"Yeah but you're much different from what I expected. Cas… kind of built you up to be some pure, pious, God-fearing chick." Isabella laughs.

"Hardly. I'm agnostic… not very pious and definitely not pure. Just another confused, fucked-up, person… so what's your poison?"

"Whiskey." He leans against the counter and she pulls out a bottle of Jack Daniel's from the freezer, from the brief glimpse he's gotten of the freezer there's four or five bottles in there, varying brands and varying sizes. She cracks it open and gets out a shot glass. They do a shot together.

"So care to give me a little hint?" she finally asks. He smirks at her.

"Nope. Besides Cas is the one who could tell you the most." She nods and reaches out to grab the bottle, intending on taking it with her into the living room and shooting back the rest of it but Dean grabs her wrist and turns it over to reveal her shame. "What this?" he asked voice hard-edged and deadly soft. She takes a breath; it's been awhile since anyone has asked her what the Latin inked onto her wrist means so it takes a moment to respond.

"Just a little phrase in Latin." She whispers, because it's a lie, and because it's the truth.

"Meaning?" his eyes are brilliant to look into, hazel and mesmerizing, they're beautiful.

"Fear no Evils…" She said softly and tore her eyes from Dean's before taking another shot.

"Why did you get that inked instead of something flowery?" She answers in a rough voice.

"I saw it somewhere and it just sort of spoke to me." Isabella shrugs. "Lets get back out there. This conversation has been awkward enough. I'm halfway tempted to ask you to show me yours."

"I would prefer not to."

"Whatever." Isabella said and went to the living room.

In the living room Sam was sitting with Eve on the couch and the man with the eyes from her dreams was sitting placidly in one of the chairs. Dean had called him Cas. Isabella sat down between Eve and the end of the couch, Dean on the other side of Sam.

"Shot?" she offered as she poured one for herself. Eve takes one.

"Cheers."

"Salut." They knock them back, arched throats and shudders. Dean follows them with his own shot of whiskey.

"Sam? Cas?" Dean asks his brother and then the man. They both decline.

"So…" Eve says. "Spit it out." Unsurprisingly it's Cas that leans forwards slightly, leveling his eyes with Isabella's, who feels a flare of warmth at his gaze.

"Have you read the bible?" he finally asks and the girls blink at him.

"Yeah, I was just skimming _Revelations_ when Isabella came home." Eve says. Isabella's silent for a moment.

"Yes." She finally says, her voice tired. She thinks of the bible beneath her pillow, a battered copy that had definitely seen better days. She thinks of how she's read it hundreds of times, trying to find meaning but failing every time.

"Good. This is easier to explain then." He leaned back. "Dean. Would you like to start?" he said it the way a marriage counselor would say it.

"Oh great. Put it on me, _again_. Okay, Eve, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember reading about the Sixty-Six Seals?" Dean asked. Eve and Isabella stared at him.

"There's only seven." Eve deadpanned; Dean glanced at Cas who tilted his head.

"So you would believe." He merely said and Dean shrugged.

"Right well either of you know anyone who calls herself Lilith?" Isabella drifted back into the conversation, her eyes refocused and she spoke.

"Not personally… but I have heard of her if you're talking about Biblical references to Lilith, though she's not mentioned in any typical bibles… you have to know what you are looking for. She was Adam's first wife, made as his equal until he believed himself above her and tried to force himself on her. She didn't like that, she wanted to top… I'm sure you guess what that means. She fled and God sent angels after her, to persuade her back into the fold… obvious it didn't work. She became a demon and roams around kicking puppies and drowning kittens I'm sure. What does she have to do with any of this?" Isabella said.

"Did you feel the hair rising on your neck? Did you feel the urge to find a weapon and use it?" Cas asked suddenly and Isabella blinked at him.

"Maybe."

"Interesting."

"Anyway… we're getting off topic here." Sam said blithely.

"And what is the topic?" Eve asked.

"The apocalypse." Dean said seriously. And Isabella starts laughing.

"Oh okay right. I'm shakin' in my slippers. _Oooh… scary._ What are you saying? That you're what? Angels come to herald the destruction of mankind? Is God really that cruel? We're ants in ant farm for him, his pretty little side-project to keep him amused, so we fuck up, a lot. There's no reason to destroy mankind… at any rate none of you look like the type of angels to be cuddy and obnoxious and somehow I doubt any of you can rain fire."

"Enough!" Cas snaps out. "You are bordering on blasphemy, Isabella. Our father may forgive your other sins in lieu of what is happening but he will not forgive blasphemy so easily, especially from one he loves so dearly." She drew back and stares at him in shock.

"You guys are fucking serious, aren't you?"

"No lie…" Sam said gently.

"So what? What happens now? Why are you here? What's going on?" Dean leaned forward and stared at her.

"Two months ago I was in hell. I sold my soul to save Sam and… Castiel pulled me out. Plunked me back into my body because God has work for me. Lilith is trying to break the sixty-six seals that keep Lucifer imprisoned and you… you're a very special person. And I don't mean short-bus special."

"I want proof." She said slowly. Dean shrugged off his coat and pulled up his shirtsleeve. Branded into his flesh, skin still pink, shiny and slick from healing, was a burned handprint. "What is that?" She gasped.

"My handprint. _I gripped him tight and raised him from Perdition_."

"And you're what exactly because I'm still having a little trouble believing this." She hissed out, eyes narrowing on Cas.

"Castiel. _I'm an Angel of the Lord_." He says bluntly.

Isabella blinks at him and he stands, suddenly very intimidating instead of defeated. The lights flicker, and then go out even as something else flickers on, it's like lightning, streaking through the room shadowing and highlighting the expanse of what looks like a pair of wings. They spread across the room, bending with the curves and corners of things and they're brilliant shadows. But she blinks and they're gone. The light flickers back on and Castiel sits once more. His face is patient, waiting for her reactions.

She doesn't know what kind of reaction they're expecting from her and Eve but from their faces they certainly didn't expect her to start laughing hysterically. She laughs until she starts to cry and her low, moaning sobs fill the room. The taste of grief is heavy on her tongue and she's feeling too much again, she's attuned to all of the fleeting, transient emotions in the room, in the building, in the town, the state, the country, the entire **fucking** world and its makes her heart hurt, her soul ache.

"It's _too_ much." She declares. "_It's much too much_." Her fingers twitch, wanting to cover her ears, to sew up her heart so this can all stop but instead she stands, delicate fingers wrapping around the bottle of what remains of the vodka and departs from the room.

In her room she ignores Eve's threats, ignores Sam and Dean's pleas, and ignores Castiel's oppressive and solemn silence. She pulls the covers over her body and closes her eyes while taking a long pull from the bottle, the alcohol burns down her throat making her shudder.

"Too much." She whispers to herself, soft and broken.

* * *

A/N: Well this has been my pet-project for a good month and I have spent many sleepless nights filling in the blanks and molding it carefully… then Kripke does "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and "Hell's Angels"… so I guess my perfect little idea has been shot to hell. Anyway… I wasn't going to post this but my friend urged to me too (threatened actually) so here it is. Constructive criticism would be nice as well as whether or not I should continue it… I definitely need some feed back for this so pretty please… I'm on my knees here. Also I would like know if I get any of the biblical stuff wrong since its been years since I've read a bible, which was a kiddy bible so any input would be awesome. Don't worry I'm intending to buy a Bible for Dummies. **SPOILERS AHEAD**! Anyway… who else cried like a little bitch at the end of "Hell's Angels" because I know I did… I found Alistair to be wickedly delicious… and his little weird accent/lisp was so cute… heh. Castiel was perfect as usual… and I am now fully convinced that there's a little undertone of Castiel/Dean with all those long looks, Uriel's comment, and the look on Castiel's face when Dean and Anna were kissing… either that or Castiel wants to rip out his Grace and be human. Hmm… Anyway… Pamela Barnes was just awesome (I totally love her and want more of her… just like Missouri but crazier) but I totally called Anna being an angel and Dean's time in hell (for the most part) as well as their plan. I kind of hate Kripke for making me like the new Ruby… I totally hated her until the past two episodes. Now I just kind of hate her. A little. Anyway… I'm off to the Sunshine State in a couple of days (yay warmth!) So I guess I'll post more when I get back and there will probably be some more Castiel crack fics to come… I have lots of ideas in this noggin.


	2. No Sunlight

Title: Absolution

Author: TigerTiger02

Chapter Title: No Sunlight

Spoilers: pretty much if you haven't seen any season four you probably shouldn't be reading this since Castiel is featured heavily. Pre-"I Know What You Did Last Summer"…. And considering this has been Kripke'd (although I've been working on it for a good month) I think you all know where this is heading…

Summary: Castiel's retrieves Sam and Dean for a mission from God. Guess they didn't expect it to be an Atomic-Bomb Girl. Shameless Castiel/OC.

Disclaimer: not mine, if it was I would totally take Castiel home as pet, he's just so darn cute!

Dedication: to Nikki, who urged me to post this even though I was sorely tempted not.

_With every year that came to pass/More clouds appear until the sky went black/And now there's/No sunlight/No sunlight/And now there's/No sunlight/No sunlight anymore/You disappeared with the same speed/The idealistic things I believed/The optimist died inside of me/No sunlight- "No Sunlight" Death Cab for Cutie_

It's nearly two am when Isabella finally swallows the last of the vodka and realizes that she can't hide from this anymore. She pulls herself together, pulls on a hooded zip-up sweatshirt, twists her hair up, and dries her tears. She feels incredibly cold so she lights a cigarette and slips on her slippers again before padding into the living room filled with awkward silence.

Castiel notices her presence first, though he is facing away from her. Stiffness comes to his back and shoulders and he tilts his head slightly in an odd way that reminds her of someone listening for sound in silence. She leans nonchalantly against the wall, trying to keep her balance because now she's pretty sure she's kind of drunk.

"So…" she takes a drag and exhales, speaking still. "Why has an angel of the lord come to walk amongst us once more?" There's a bare, imperceptible slur to her words but everyone ignores it and she pads over to flop down on the couch, tugging an ashtray on the coffee table to sit in front of her.

The ashes float down and she watches the glowing ember of her cigarette before meeting Castiel's eyes. They bear into her soul, making her knees tremble and her soul _ache_ with want. He feels so comfortable and familiar that it makes her hurt. She wants to reach out and touch him but refrains. After a long moment he turns his eyes away, blinking rapidly and she can feel him inside of her, his emotions rather and its overwhelming. They're all encompassing and nothing she's ever felt before in anyone else since it started happening to her. She can feel the steady thrum of love and devotion and need. But just as suddenly as they came they were gone, like a door had been slammed shut.

No one speaks and the silence stretches for longer. She waits patiently for a few moments, inhaling, exhaling, and flicking ashes.

"Well?" she drawls out, eyes darting to Sam, Dean, and Eve. Surprisingly it's Eve who speaks first.

"I've lied to you. A lot." Isabella widens her eyes before narrowing them.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean… remember that time we went to see that psychic?"

"Patrick the Psycho?" Isabella asks curiously. She remembers him vaguely, all unfocused eyes and rapid, tumbling words spewing from his mouth.

"Yeah. And remember how he told you that we were connected and had known each of for years… that we had shared past lives?"

"Yeah…"

"And how there was something brilliant about you?"

"Yeah?"

"Its true." Isabella can't help but laugh slightly.

"I'm missing something here. Something big." Its not a question and they all know it.

"What does Isabella mean?" Eve urged, she got like this sometimes when she didn't want to say things outright, when she wanted Isabella come to the conclusion on her own.

"God's oath if I remember correctly…" Isabella trailed off. Brain fitting pieces together slowly, jamming the puzzles pieces together but still she didn't have enough. "God's oath… like a pact… or a… or a… vow? A promise? What am I some kind of promise of God? Like a present?" she finally asked because it seemed ridiculous and made her smile. But there's an awkward silence that speaks for itself and she feels something in her break a little bit, she doesn't want this. Any of this.

"I… I'm sorry." Eve says softly, large, blue eyes pleading with her to understand. Isabella straightens slightly, stubs out her cigarette, and lights another one.

"How do you know any of this?" she asks softly.

"I think its best to let Castiel explain some of this…" Eve trailed off. "I'll finish when he's done." At this Castiel leaned forward, locking eyes with Isabella.

"It is imperative that you do not interrupt me until I am finished." He said and Isabella nodded slowly.

"Okay. Fine. Have it." Her words were blunt and yet sharp at the same time. She tried not to meet his eyes, tried not to let him know how scared she was. Then Castiel spoke, words coming fast and fluid, as if he has been waiting ages to tell her this. His voice carried on in a lilting cadence and there was an undertone of begging, as if he wanted her to forgive him for telling her this.

"Centuries ago at the beginning of the world the Lord created two beings to keep him company and be his strongest angels, to stand beside him and help him make important decisions. The first was Lucifer, the Morning Star who shone brightest of us all. With Lucifer another was created, to be his balancing opposite. The Lord created her, and as with all of his creations he gave her a special name to call her own. She was his oath. His _word_. She was called Isabella." His eyes met hers, weight and levity stared back at her, willing her to understand. But she wasn't getting the whole message just part of it. He sighed and turned his eyes to the floor before continuing.

"Then the Lord went on to create everything else. He finished his creation of the world, placing Adam and Eve into the garden. However Lucifer was jealous. He was created first of them all and instead the humans were loved more than himself. This belief that he held angered many of us… we didn't like his way of thinking. Who was he to question? But the Lord let it pass until… until Lucifer began to plot. He began to plot to kill the humans; he spewed blasphemy and gathered followers. This was not a trespass that the Lord could forgive and thus Lucifer was cast into Hell. There he was locked up and sealed so that he could never go through with what he had planned." And there they are, on the edge of the precipice ready to leap or fall. She wants to speak but her breath is caught in her throat and there's tears lodged there as well. His eyes meet hers for a split second and she hurriedly looks down.

"However the Lord feared the same from his second-in-command, Isabella. He feared that she would fall like Lucifer, that she would follow her brother in to the dark, for though her love for the Lord and for his creations was great she also loved her brother. He feared that she would cut her Grace out and fall like Lucifer. He decided upon a course of action much like the course of action taken against Lucifer. He decided to trap her in a mortal form, to die and be reborn to die again. She would hold no memories of her true form, no memories of her past lives, she would be invisible and go unnoticed. Ultimately human and fragile but having a divine power locked inside of her vulnerable human body… it was dangerous and we didn't know if it would work. We knew that eventually we would have to release her and now I've come to do so."

"I don't understand…" Isabella said softly. He leveled his eyes at her and the weight of his stare bore down on her, crushing her beneath it. He cocked his head slightly; again in that odd way like a man listening for a noise he swears he heard before.

"You have no idea the power you hold." He said in a hushed and reverent voice. "You have no idea how _loved_ you are by both our father and myself. How _precious_ you are."

"Castiel-." As soon as Eve spoke Castiel's eyes darted toward her and there seemed to silent communication between the pair before Eve lowered her eyes in submission. Something Isabella had never seen Eve do before.

"When all of this occurred I was furious, I didn't understand my father's intentions. I didn't understand any of it… I was blinded by my love for her… for _you_." At this Isabella's eyes widened.

"What are you saying here? That you… what? Love me? You don't even fucking know me." Isabella hissed out angrily, she tried to ignore the fact she just might be this mysterious angel.

"I know you better then I know myself." He whispered and leaned forward. "I know you enjoy photography, not for the petty cash you receive for your talents but because you can capture people at their most vulnerable moment, when they are unguarded and when they are stripped bare of their masks. I know the spot behind your knee makes you laugh when touched and the spot where shoulder meets neck makes you shudder when kissed. I know the scar on your collarbone and its story. I know your every desire, hope, and secret shame. I know you have dreamt of me as I've dreamt of you and what you yearn for and what that look in your eyes means. I know of your compassion and vulnerability."

He reached out and took her hand, his palm dry and cool against her fevered one. He turned it over; blue eyes locked on hers, and ran his index finger across the back of her hand before he found what he was looking for. He traced the faded scars and spoke. "This scar you got when you were sixteen. You had just started your job when a dog bit you, you pulled your hand away as quickly as possible but still there was a mark." Startled she ripped her hand from his and lowered her eyes. The curved marks on her hand stand out brightly against her pale skin.

"**Stop it.** You don't know me. I'm **not** the Isabella you remember and cherish. **I'm not**." She whispered. "I'm pissed off, and broken, and completely un-holy."

"You're not." Castiel whispered and touched her hand again, she jerked it away again and gazed out the window, the tension in the room was threatening to suffocate her.

"Just keep telling your little bedtime tale." Dean said. "Forget the other crap and just spit it out." There was a sigh and Castiel began again.

"Because of your human vulnerability and the fact that the seal on your powers is starting to erode, your Grace is leaking out, shining through the human skin, making it easier for demons to track you. This is also why you've been able to use small, trivial amounts of it. However your power is the reason Lilith is after you. She wants to use your power to either outright kill you or control you to open the remaining seals to release Lucifer. If this happens there is no stopping this apocalypse."

"So why are you here?"

"We're here to protect you, to make sure that Lilith does not succeed and should the need arise then I will unlock your true form."

"Is that as kinky as it sounds?" Dean asked apprehensively.

"I'm thinking it is." Eve said as she leaned over to eye Dean across Sam.

"Look… let's say I believe this. Then what? What happens next?"

"You come with us." She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to remember anything at all. She tried to find a reason to not believe but it was so hard. It was hard to look into Castiel's eyes and not see something that made her believe them. She could buy into Lilith being a real, existing demon and she could buy into Castiel being an honest-to-God angel but she was torn on whether or not to believe in the fact that she was some divine being.

"Okay. I believe you." And it was like a balloon being popped, the tension whooshed out of the room and everyone relaxed in great exhale.

"Good. Now lets get going. The sooner we get away from here the less likely it is that Lilith will show up." Sam said logically and stood.

"Yeah, pack your bags quickly. We don't need that _creepy pre-pubescent bitch_ showing up before we're ready." Dean said and stood as well.

"Whoa! Wait a second! Eve still needs to tell me some things and I need to go to work tomorrow and hand in my two weeks. I can't just leave them to fend for themselves… it would just be cruel." Isabella broke in. She felt a flare of panic at the thought of just leaving her life behind.

"Right! I almost forgot! So you know me as _Eve_ and I am _Eve_ and when I say I'm _Eve_ I mean I'm _the Eve_." Isabella stared blankly at her.

"Yeah I know you're Eve."

"You don't get it." Eve shook her head sadly. "God took one of Adam's ribs, created the first woman, and called her _Eve_. Okay, well more like _second_ woman." Isabella's eyes widened at that.

"No. First he tells me I'm an angel reincarnated and now you're telling me that you're the Eve from _Genesis_. This is just too fucked up."

"Agreed." Dean said bluntly. "So what? You picked the wrong fruit and indulged a little bit and to redeem yourself you have to watch after her?" He asked curiously. This was one detail that Castiel had not shared with them.

"I don't understand, if you knew what she was and is and you knew what Castiel is then why did you smack him?" Sam asked.

"For show, and because I was afraid. I've been Isabella's protector for so long and now it's changing. I was afraid that it would rip her open, the kiss I mean, because I don't know what it takes."

"Oh it takes a hell of a lot more than that." Dean said with a leer.

"Makes sense." Eve said nonchalantly. "Sex is a way for people's souls to touch, no matter how brief." Isabella cringes.

"Can we please get back to the topic and not talk about my possible sex-life." Isabella snapped out.

"Right. Well you know the whole story anyway; Lilith as the _Serpent_ tempted me. Though it was more like she told me that the apple, or pomegranate as it were, was not off limits. She convinced me that it was okay and I was stupid and fell for the trap. And of course offered it up to Adam and got us both in trouble. You had warned me not to but I was stupid and young and curious. I wanted to help you, because I regretted not listening to you. I wanted to protect you like you tried to protect me. So I begged our father to allow me this, to redeem myself. I've been with you for a very long time, reincarnated with you, finding you and staying with you."

"So we're only friends because God told you to be my friend?"

"No, we're friends because you get me and I get you, _dumbass_. Besides we were friends long before God told me to be your friend."

"Right…" Isabella hissed out long and low, just air escaping her lungs.

Isabella sighed while glancing at the clock. It was half past three in the morning and she was bone weary. She had work in the morning, though it was more like she had to get up at ten and get there by eleven, but she would be there until eight.

"Okay. So here's what we're going to do, we're going to go to bed and I'm going to go work tomorrow like everything is normal instead of cracked out. The sofa folds out into a queen bed and I can share Eve's bed if someone wants to take my room. Figure it out among yourself." She stood and marched down the hall. There was no way in hell she would even attempt to speak to Castiel right now about her newfound angel-hood. She was still pretty buzzed, she was tired, and she didn't have the patience for his long, soul-piercing gazes. She definitely didn't have the patience for his needy looks and stupid kissable lips and his silly sex-hair and she had better stop right now if she wanted to get any sleep at all.

Ten minutes later Eve appeared in the doorway of room, Isabella was already in the large, queen-sized bed. She was curled on her side and staring at nothing. Eve smiled.

"So they got it sorted out. Sam and Dean are on the sofa and your boyfriend is in your room, probably undressing his hot-little self as we speak. _Woof_, man if I wasn't already in a committed relationship with myself I would be glad to have him park his shoes under my bed. He can smite me anytime- and judging by the look on your face if I go on anymore you'll smack me."

"Damn right." Isabella hissed, angry with herself for getting angry with Eve. Castiel may have said he was hers but she didn't want him, nope not one bit.

"I have to say that the meat suit he's wearing suits him, pun not intended. That wannabe court reporter looks a bit like Castiel's true form, 'cept Cas is prettier. Less rough around the edges but it always was a bit hard for the angel's to play-act human. Even if there wasn't even the smidgen of resemblance between his vessel and his true form I still would have recognized him."

"Why?" Isabella asked curiously.

"The eyes. Angels are fully incapable of completely hiding their eyes. Sure he's got them dimmed a little but color is there, the vibrancy, grace and purity. Besides he has no idea how to be subtle about anything, even centuries ago he had no idea. When he does something he throws himself into it and he kind of _really_ sucks at being a human." Eve said as she took off her rings and then slathered lotion over her arms, neck and face. Isabella sat up in bed, holding a pillow to herself, she couldn't help but be curious about what Castiel was like.

"What else?" she asked softly.

"Well he loves you, a lot. He fell in love with you the moment he saw you. He's one of the younger angels, not arch but rather Dominion, fairly low on the totem pole and you're the oldest there is right now, even above arch. I remember him saying to me how cold and distant you looked, standing beside Father. He said you looked so arrogant, like Uriel is most of the time. He said how you only spoke to Father in his ear or your brother. How your emotions were shuttered and how you caught eyes and that did him in. It was sweet. You guys were very sweet with each other. With your pet names and _smooshiness_. It was rather disgusting." Isabella turned her eyes to the window and sighed.

"I wish I could remember."

"Yeah well you could for only the price of a horizontal rumba." Isabella frowned slightly.

"Its too weird. I don't know him anymore and if I'm going to do it with him and 'release the good' or whatever then I want to get to know him like he knows me."

"It's going to be hard, he knows you like divine being and knows you very intimately. You can't know him as a divine being until you are one. Besides once you do the do then you'll remember." Eve shrugged and Isabella blanched.

"I'm not comfortable jumping into bed with someone I don't even know. It would be like you jumping into bed with Dean." Eve got a speculative look on her face.

"Yeah but I wouldn't really mind doing that, he's got a nice ass." Isabella tossed a pillow at her.

"I'm tired so lets go to bed and try to sort the rest of this out later when I'm not about to pass out."

* * *

Castiel stood in Isabella's room, taking in the décor and photographs that papered the walls. In front of a desk with a purring laptop on it was a purple velvet chair with rivets along the edges of it, he draped his coat there and continued to look around. The dresser was a tall affair and didn't match the desk, bed frame, or vanity, of course none of them matched anyway. Atop it were scattered items such as a sculpture reminiscent of Stonehenge with silver painted gummi-bears and a jewelry box. On the desk there were keys, a watch and pens. On the vanity there were scattered items of jewelry, make-up, and other odds and ends. A mirror with photos tucked around the edges was draped with both a pentacle and a crucifix; it was unclear if either were worn. He touched the desk lightly and got an image of her banging her head against the wood top, swearing under her breath and snarling at the computer in front of her. The dresser had an image of an older woman (her grandmother?) putting clothes in it and then Isabella putting clothes in it with little sachets of lavender. The vanity had an image of Isabella seated in front of it, her hand steady as she ringed her eyes and put a shade of brilliant crimson on her lips. She wore a low cut, black dress and nervous smile. He smiled slightly at the nervous thoughts he picked up. _"I hope I look good enough… David is so cute… I don't want to blow it. God, I hope he doesn't think I'm going to put on the fifth date. I just want to be sure-."_ He frowned and lifted his fingers. He didn't want to think about her with someone else, with someone not him.

Ignoring the bed for now he slipped off his shoes and then his suit jacket, still glancing around at the pictures. There were photographs of her with friends, with family, alone with distant eyes dreaming. There were photographs of friends caught unguarded, a boy of eighteen on the floor of someone else's apartment, holding a stuffed donkey and looking tired. Another of a different boy staring down at his phone, fingers curled near his mouth looking contemplative. A girl with her back to the camera and orbs of white surrounding her as she turned slightly and reached out to the side to touch something. A hulking vehicle parked beneath a tree. Another girl reaching up to a sunflower, a soft smile on her face and winking glee in her eyes. Then there was a slightly unfocused photo of Isabella, her lips were swollen and bruised looking. Her hair was wild, falling around her face in tangled tendrils, falling to her eyes and in the black and white her eyes stood out even more. The gunmetal grey was liquid and luminous, there's an unfocused quality to them that makes him wonder. He touches the photo and gets a jumble of gleaming sharp thoughts, _"Fuck, how many lines was that? Shit… shit! I need to ground myself… photograph this. Document this moment because it means something. Fuck! I need to kick this bad habit!"_ There was a dizzying quality to the memory/thoughts so he took his hand away from them.

With an exhale he loosened the tie further and draped it on the chair with his coat and suit jacket. His fingers brushed against a teddy bear and he could see Isabella hugging it tightly, aged about twenty years, she was staring out the window with a contemplative look on her face, _"Why did she have to go so soon? I miss her so much… Grandma, where are you?"_ With another exhaled sigh he relieved himself of his shirt and folded it carefully to place it atop the rest of his borrowed clothing. There were so many happy memories in this room, and yet just as many bad memories.

Castiel picked up her robe and pressed it to his face, inhaling her gentle scent of laundry, soap, and something indefinable. He didn't wish to see the memories this item held so he put it back down. With slow, methodical motions he touched many things in the room, absorbing the memories, trying to get a feel for this human Isabella, the one who had no idea how entwined they had once been. He got imprints of her entire life, fleeting moment in time that had etched themselves into the items. He finished with her worn copy of the Bible before he shed his pants, folding them neatly and placing them with the other items and his belt. Clad in his boxers he stepped towards the bed and inhaled deeply, as if he were about to dive into water.

Then he stepped forward and dove in. The bed was a warm mess of memories that flowed quickly through his mind. Of sleep, dreams, sweat, and terror, they all seemed foreign. Some were happy, some angry, and some sad but they all featured her until the very last one when he finally reached up and touched the cool, metal bars of the wrought iron headboard. And he can see her, naked and flushed, back arched slightly and fingers gripping the cool metal, now heated from her palms and fingers. She's moaned and whimpered as a boy, David copulates with her. She looks beautiful but the thoughts running through her mind are terrified and confused. _"Why am I doing this? I don't even really like him. I don't connect to him. This is a mistake! Please just hurry up and get it over with. This faking is getting old. This is such a fucking mistake!"_

With a sharp intake of breath he pulls his hand away, latches onto one of her photographs, the one of the girl with sunflowers, and feels her burst of happiness and her elation. This is a happy memory. This memory is right. There's no lust here and his chest doesn't feel tight as he watched it loop around, playing and replaying in his head. He leaves the photo, holds onto another teddy bear, this one with happier memories, and falls into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

Isabella groaned and slapped Eve's alarm clock. With a yawn she stumbled out of the bed, careful to not fully wake up Eve. She was hellion when she was deprived of even a minute more of sleep. Isabella padded through the living room and smirked at the sight of Dean and Sam sleeping. Dean was curled on his side and it looked like if he even moved an inch he would fall off the bed. Sam on the other hand was sprawled out and was taking up a majority of the bed. It was clear that neither of them were sleeping very well. She would have to stop somewhere after work and get some kind of blow-up mattress or something that they could lay out somewhere. She went into the kitchen and put on the kettle so she could have her morning tea. Then she made her way back through the living room, praying that Castiel would still be asleep when she would slip into her room to find some clean scrubs.

Thankfully the angel didn't stir when she stepped inside. On her desk chair a pile of neatly folded clothing sat there looking innocuous. She felt a blush rise in her cheeks as she took in the mostly naked angel sleeping in her bed. The covers had worked their way down during the night and were resting currently just below his belly button. One arm was flung away from himself, palm facing upward. The other was crooked up, a hand resting near his face, also palm up. His hair is even messier than before and his stubble is a bit longer. His face is peaceful through, eyes moving rapidly beneath the lids and she stifled a chuckle. Who knew angels dreamt? She swallowed heavily at the sight of his naked, chiseled chest. Though he wasn't all out buff there were lean muscles that made her lick her lips, mouth suddenly dry. His chest was rising and falling gently, he was sleeping, and she was so _very_ suddenly lusting after him.

Isabella pushes the feelings away and pulls clothing from drawers quickly. Underwear, purple scrubs, bra, long-sleeve shirt, and socks. There was no noise from the bed so Isabella knew she had gotten away without the angel waking up. She turned and promptly dropped the clothing. Less than a foot away Castiel stood there, staring impassively at her. She swallowed heavily and met his eyes, trying to ignore the fact that he was clearly a boxer man (dark blue boxers with light blue pinstripes).

"Uhm." She managed before his mouth crashed into hers. She rocked back onto her heels and ended up pressed against her dresser. He was warmer than she thought possible. Skin heated and silk, and she dragged her fingers across his broad shoulders before she tangled them up his hair. Her mind was fogging up again, everything going hazy and lines were being blurred, hadn't only last night she had never intended to let him catch her off-guard like this? She held onto the thought and tore her mouth from his.

"No!" she gasped out as she jerked backward. Castiel stares at her confused. "I mean… I just…." She doesn't finish and instead shoves him away before marching to Eve's room. She's running away from her problems just like she always does.

* * *

Breakfast is an awkward affair. Dean bitches about the distinct lack of coffee in the apartment, Sam is quiet for the most part and seems to be the epitome of polite houseguest. He even asks them if there's any grocery shopping he can do for them while he goes out and gets a coffee machine and coffee, then he asks if there are any repairs he could do. Castiel is silent and watchful, eyes roving around the apartment with fascination at the clock and toaster. Isabella avoids looking at him and even tries not to be in the same room as him, which is hard when the apartment is only meant for two people and is now cramped with five. She finds herself giving him alternately speculative and odd looks.

"What's this?" he had asked when Eve set a plate of chocolate chip waffles with raspberries, strawberries, and whipped cream atop them. She paused for a moment before laughing.

"Chocolate chip waffles. What they don't have these elsewhere?" she laughs again. "Oh never mind I keep forgetting that unlike myself you haven't set foot on earth in over two thousand years. They're good. I promise. No forbidden fruit in these." She laughs again and serves Dean his second helping. "Its so nice to have people to cook for in the apartment, Isabella eats like a bird sometimes… and that's a terrible expression considering birds eat a lot. She eats like something that doesn't eat a lot…" Eve grinned widely and placed a couple of pieces of bacon on Sam's plate. It was clear she was enjoying having more people in the apartment.

"Bite me. I rarely have time for breakfast so at least let me enjoy it." Isabella said from where she was cutting up her food. She looked over and noticed Castiel was still staring at his food, and then back at what everyone else was doing. "Oh for _fuck's_ sake. I should have known you wouldn't know what the hell a fork and a knife were." She said and pulled his plate over so she could cut the waffles into bite-sized pieces. She pushed it back towards him. "Just watch Dean. He seems to able to eat or rather _inhale_ the food without choking." She stood up and shoved her dirty dishes in the dishwasher.

"Leaving for work?" Eve asked from where she was demonstrating the technique to eating a piece of waffle with fruit dipped into the whipped cream to Castiel who seemed to be catching on.

"Yeah. I have to figure out what to tell them because I'm pretty sure that if I tell the truth I'll be sent to the loony bin." Castiel stood suddenly.

"You cannot go alone, if Lilith finds you all will be lost. I will accompany you."

"Whoa! Hey! There is no way I can let anyone tag along with me. This is my job, what the hell am I going to say. That you're a boy scout interested in learning about cute doggies? Yeah like that's gonna fly." She snorted slightly and slipped on her shoes, moving through the living room and snagging her purse and her coat.

"You know he's right. You can't go to work alone, you need someone there in case Lilith shows up." Eve said slowly.

"Jeez, I'll be fine. And stop saying her name, I'm halfway convinced that its like in _Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows_, that there's that _Taboo_ thingy on her name. We'll call her… _You-Know-Who_." Isabella said and pulled on her coat. "I'm going to work alone and that's final. If one of you wants to sit in the parking lot like some stalker that's fine by me. Besides I think part of being an angel would be knowing when someone is in trouble and I bet you slipped some sort of angelic GPS tracking device on me sometime." Castiel sighed and dipped his head, acknowledging the fact that he had.

"This morning in your bedroom." He said by way of explanation and at Dean and Eve's suggestive looks she flushed brightly.

"Well then I'm going to work." She said in a strangled tone before bolting out the door.

* * *

"There's _something_ different about you." Samantha said as she observed Isabella.

"There's _nothing_ different about me." Isabella said tightly as she walked a dog outside in the brilliant sunlight.

"No there definitely is. You look kind of… _sparkly_. Like you got laid or something or maybe-_oh my god_. You got laid!" Samantha squealed happily.

"No I didn't!" Isabella insisted.

"Oh well then I think there's a new man in your life." Samantha said with a wink.

"That may be true." Isabella admits. Though she can hardly think of Castiel as a man, he's too divine looking even wrapped up in that human form. He's too odd; he doesn't quite fit as a human.

"That would explain the fact that there's a public defender standing over there." Samantha said while she jerked her chin. Across the field they're standing in Castiel stands placidly. His hands are in his coat pockets and he stares openly at her.

"Shit. I wonder why he's here."

"You're pissed? Man if I were getting down and dirty with that nice piece of ass I would be the happiest woman alive." Samantha muttered before licking her lips. Isabella scowled at her.

"That's _my_ hot piece of ass." She said grumpily before striding over to Castiel. With surprise she notes a white paper bag in one hand. She glanced at her cell phone and noticed a text message from Eve: _Sent Castiel over with lunch. Have fun and don't do anything I wouldn't do! Which is about nothing!_ The dog at her side followed obediently and didn't seem put off by the angel at all. Which Isabella was grateful for considering Pearl was known to be fairly violent if provoked. "What are you doing here?" she asked, trying not to sound bitchy and angry. It happened anyway.

"Eve told me to bring you lunch and check up on you." He said bluntly. She narrowed her eyes.

"What did you bring?"

"Cheeseburgers and fries." He answered, although it seemed like he didn't quite know what either were, she smiled at his naivety.

"Okay. Come with me."

He followed her through the back door and into the ward with the howling, barking, snarling dogs that all suddenly went silent the moment he stepped into the ward. There she put Pearl away and he followed her back out. They went and sat on a picnic bench off to the side in the field and from the bag she pulled out two slightly warm cokes, two burgers, and a bag of fries.

"So I have a question." She said slowly. He turned his eyes to hers and she felt a jolt careen through her body. Damnit, it seemed like no matter how many times she met his eyes she still got that odd jolt.

"What is it?"

"Why? I mean… well why all the kissing and touching?" she asked. She had to admit that it was kind of weird and unexpected (and at times wonderful and annoying).

"It is the human expression of love, is it not?" he said while cocking his head, confusion showing clear on his face.

"Well… yeah… but…" she trailed off, unsure at what she was trying to get at.

"I love you and I'm trying to express it in a way you'll understand." He said simply. She took a deep breath.

"I get that. But why do I feel like…" she sighed and waved her hand. It was fairly difficult to explain. He gave her a blank look. "Why do I feel like I'm in a daze… why do I feel like I'm coming apart at the seams?" He was silent for a moment, trying to think of a way to explain it.

"I told you that your Grace is leaking from your human form, didn't I?"

"Yeah about that, what the hell _is_ my Grace?" he sighed and turned his eyes heavenward for a moment.

"Your Grace is what makes you an angel. Every angel has one. Some shine brighter than most. Yours happens to be particularly bright, which is why to some sensitive humans you seem to glow or sparkle."

"That would explain Samantha's reaction to me."

"Yes… humans are very fascinated with it. It attracts them…" he paused for a moment trying to come up with an analogy. "Like a raven to a shiny object." He finished.

"Okay… so why the other stuff…"

"Your Grace is responding to mine, as it should since they are-_were_ connected. It is part of unlocking your Grace from its prison. As for the dazed feelings… that is the human part of you responding to the divine touching you."

"Wow. _Someone's_ full of himself." She muttered.

"I don't think I understand."

"It's an expression, meaning that you're arrogant, don't worry it wasn't a slight against you… anyway Eve mentioned something last night that got me thinking. She said something about this not being your true form."

"It isn't. I took this vessel as a way to deal with Dean, he is unable to bear the sound of my true voice or the sight of my true form."

"Wait… you're _possessing_ someone?" He dipped his head slightly.

"Yes. Dean said the same thing… though it was a bit angrier. Don't worry, he is a devout man who prayed for this."

"So he's in there?"

"No. Not anymore. He was dying of a rare disease long before his time. He prayed to be of some use, to do good in the world. I answered his prayer and told him to let go. This… body," He looked down at his hands and flexed them. "This body is now my own until the war is over. Then I will go back to Heaven with my brethren, where the vessel is now with his family." Isabella slumped slightly, half-glad that at least the guy was gone and half-upset that he was now dead.

"So technically you're," she searched for a nicer word for possessing and found one, "_inhabiting_ a dead body."

"Not quite. The body is alive as long as I am in it… even then the body will be brain-dead without me, dying naturally at the right time. This body is powered by my Grace." She nodded.

"Right." He cocked his head slightly, studying her closely.

"You grieve for the man. Don't. He is happier now." She scowled at him and crumbled the paper wrapper of her burger up before responding.

"He was still a living, breathing human being before you came along. Now he's just a walking corpse. A parody of life."

"And you do not think the same of _your_ vessel?"

_"What?"_ she asked as a cold hand of ice griped the base of her spine.

"The woman you call mother is biologically your vessel's mother, you are not merely a divine being made flesh. It works like that sometimes but not in the instance of you. You think that you own that body. You don't. The baby Marla Monroe carried for a nine months died in the womb with her umbilical cord wrapped around her neck, it was a suitable vessel that the Lord found fit to place your imprisoned Grace into, like _Pandora's _box, secreted away. The scar on your collarbone is the mark of the Lord forcing _life_ into a corpse. Forcing _you_ into a corpse. You have gray eyes, no one else in your family has gray eyes, and they are the only part of your Grace that shone through until a few months ago." He said. Isabella stared at him stunned.

"But… this is my body." She said weakly. He shook his head.

"It is not." He said simply.

"How could you tell me that?" she asked tearfully.

"You needed to know. You needed to know so that later you would be willing to discard the body, the vessel you wear. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I had to rip apart your illusions. I didn't want it like this but it must be this way." She stood and tugged him up with her.

_"Leave."_

"Isabella…" he said softly, eyes concerned as he stared at her.

**"Leave now!"** she shouted angrily. He reached around, cupped his hand behind her neck, and tugged her forward while he dipped his head. Their lips met and as he kissed her he whispered against her lips.

"I'm sorry for telling you this. _I love you_." And then he was gone with a rustle of wings and clothing, leaving her broken and confused.

* * *

Review Responses:

LostPhan3- really? You like it? Yay! (by the way I was walking through the quad on campus when I read your review and I danced around like an idiot… it was awkward). I agree, I'm both a reading and a writer so I've been looking around for some really good Castiel fics that aren't Dean/Castiel (not that I have anything against it, I totally love it but I would never write it, or at least not porny blatant Dean/Castiel, more like subtle hints...) and sadly there aren't many… anyway I hoped you enjoyed chapter two as well… and I'll have chapter three up when I have chapter four finished…

And thanks to PhoenixMa'at for adding this to your alert and thanks to all those who read but didn't review (_**hint hint**_).

A/N: well… so… this is the second chapter… it would have been up sooner but I was in Arizona and then running around crazy like to get some major papers in and then I had finals. Posting this is like a late birthday present to myself… heh twenty-years-old and I still act like a child. With finals done I get a month off which will be spent probably writing this half the time and being a delinquent the other half. In other news… I just found out that Misha is going to be a regular during season five! OH MY FUCKING GOD! ***FLAILS*** How freakin' awesome is that? Like the crazy person I am I immediately squealed and then burst into tears (I had an awful day at work… and I just found out my uncle has lung cancer… and I'm probably moving in six months away from the only house that I've lived at for more than a couple of years, possibly out of state… so this is awesomely good news right now). Anyway… constructive criticism please, feedback is awesome… and… drop me a line with likes and dislikes!


	3. Butterflies and Hurricanes

Title: Absolution

Author: TigerTiger02

Chapter Title: Butterflies and Hurricanes

Spoilers: pretty much if you haven't seen any of season four you probably shouldn't be reading this since Castiel is featured heavily. Pre-"I Know What You Did Last Summer"…. And considering this has been Kripke'd (although I've been working on it for a good month) I think you all know where this is heading…

Summary: Castiel's retrieves Sam and Dean for a mission from God. Guess they didn't expect it to be an Atomic-Bomb Girl. Shameless Castiel/OC.

Disclaimer: not mine, if it was I would totally take Castiel home as pet, he's just so darn cute!

Dedication: to Nikki, who urged me to post this even though I was sorely tempted not and has been part of the editing process since day one!

_Change,  
everything you are  
and everything you were  
your number has been called  
fights, battles have begun  
revenge will surely come  
your hard times are ahead_

-"Butterflies and Hurricanes" Muse

Over the next few days Isabella studiously ignored Castiel. She didn't let him near her, she didn't speak to him, and to her he was nothing but wallpaper. Of course he still followed her around like a lost puppy. He still stared at her with intensity she had never known. He still would find ample opportunities to slide his fingers across her lower back or shoulder or wrist. It was getting harder to ignore him when he touched her like that. Still she soldiered onward, ignoring him and pretending that it didn't hurt to not look at him.

It's a brilliant autumn afternoon and she's waiting for Dean or Sam, possibly Eve. It's become a routine, one of them drops by in the afternoon, they eat lunch, and pretend that they're not on edge because Lilith might pop up out of nowhere and "gank" her, as Dean had put it. It was mildly awkward to have Castiel first show up and everyone assume he was her boyfriend, but it got even more awkward when Sam had shown up the next day, toting turkey wraps and mango juice, or something of that sort. It had taken a few minutes for Samantha to calm down and even longer for Isabella to explain that Sam was just a friend from college. Of course the next day when Dean strolled it was when people started gossiping that she was some kind of slut now.

That had been awkward to explain, but she was grateful that it wasn't Castiel coming around anymore. It would just lead to too many questions that she just couldn't answer. Such as the fact that he always wore the same clothing.

"Hey, there's someone up front for you." Leah, a technician, said as she breezed past on her way outside.

"Dean, Sam, or Eve?" Isabella asked. If it were Dean there would probably be something greasy and unhealthy involved and she had been craving something unhealthy all day. Leah stopped and frowned, tapping a brilliant pink fingernail against her chin as she thought.

"Nah, someone new." She said and Isabella frowned.

"Who?"

"I dunno, he has some kind of fruity name, Ariel or some shit." Leah said before she pranced outside with a cigarette in hand. Isabella frowned and flipped open her cell phone. After a few rings Sam picked up.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked and she could hear Eve in the background shouting something about soup.

"There's some guy here, named Ariel?" she said slowly, fear creeping up her spine. She had never heard the name mentioned before but she was worried it was someone she did not want to meet.

"_Shit_. Uriel is there." Sam called out and she heard Eve curse loudly while there was a great clanging noise.

"Wait, Uriel? As in archangel Uriel? As in one _mean_ motherfucker who wields a flaming sword?" she asked, slightly panicked. Castiel was one angel she could handle (even when he looked at her with sad eyes) but Uriel? He was _arch_, in the big leagues, and there was no reason why he should be paying her a visit.

"Look I'm pretty sure he won't do anything that could lead to death and Dean will be there soon so-." Sam was abruptly cut off and was replaced by Eve.

"All you need to know is that Uriel _cannot_ harm you, not without direct orders from the Big Guy, and he wouldn't either, you still trump him and he's kind of afraid of you. Or at least he _used_ to be…" Eve's voice faltered slightly, as if she was just remembering how out of the loop she really was in heaven. "Just meet him head on and be direct. And remember Dean will be there soon."

"Okay. Right." Isabella said before snapping the phone closed. She turned around and took an awkward step back. A large, intimidating man stood before her. He was impeccably dressed in a dapper suit and he was not smiling. She looked around and realized that one of the receptionists was scurrying away, a nervous twitch in her walk. It was obvious that he had intimidated her into letting him in back.

"Isabella."

"Uriel." She said, sizing him up like he was sizing her up.

"I just wanted to see if it was true and I guess it is." He said, his voice a low growl. She cocked her head and stared up at him, using a technique she had picked up from Castiel. Just stare and eventually it will cow a person, hopefully.

"What's true?" she finally asked softly still leveling her eyes up at the dark brown gaze of Uriel's.

"That they're bringing you back into the fold. If it were up to _me_ I would have burned you out long ago. Ripped you to pieces, child." His voice is condescending. His eyes are flecked with darkness and her skin creeps uncomfortably around him. She feels on edge around him, and not the good kind like with Castiel.

"And what sins have I committed to earn your resentment? Or is it because Daddy likes me more?" she said, her voice a hard edge. Uriel's face twisted into a snarl and he raised his hand bringing it dangerously close to her face before he freezes. He drops his hand quickly and grits his teeth.

"You're still mostly human, interesting that Castiel has not made his move… maybe its because he's _defective_. Or maybe its because _you're_ defective." He spat out the last word like it was a rotten piece of apple in his mouth.

"Or maybe it's unnecessary at this moment." She snapped out angrily. Uriel laughed suddenly.

"Oh you humans do amuse me." He said and then chuckled again. Isabella wondered if he was always this bipolar. "You fear it. You know the reasons why you were locked up; you know it was of your own volition. Most of all you know of your brother's sin. You're still scared of falling like he did. I should have sent you below when I had a chance, before there was the opinion that you were harmless. _Hardly_." He said all mirth fading from his face.

"What's up, Uri." Isabella turned to see Dean approaching from behind, his voice was light and airy, unconcerned with the pissy look on Uriel's face. Dean's face is the opposite of his voice, its guarded and tense.

"Dean. This is none of your business." Uriel's voice is tightly controlled anger and deadly soft. Dean smirks and replies flippantly.

"Yeah well I kind of think it is considering that we were tasked with protecting her."

"A decision that was clearly made in haste." Uriel flung back disdain dripping from his voice.

"Why don't you just go and fuck off?" Dean snarled and Isabella stepped backward as Uriel's face contorted and he raised a hand. "What? You're going to smite me?" Dean said and took a step forward. "I really don't think your boss is going to be too happy with you if you burn me up." Uriel dropped his hand and he leaned forward, getting in Dean's face.

"The moment you stop being of use in this war… I'll be there." He growled and with the faint rustling of clothing (or wings) he was gone. Isabella felt her legs go liquid and she sat heavily on the floor.

"Is he always like that?" she whispered, half-ashamed of her obvious fear.

"Yeah, he's a dick with wings." Dean said half-heartedly before he pulls her up. "Let's get some pie into you." he says softly.

"Pie?" she asks curiously.

"Yeah, pie. It solves everything." Dean said as he slung an arm around her shoulders.

* * *

When she leaves work the sun has already set and Dean had long ago left. She's one of the last ones to leave; her fear of Uriel keeps her inside where it's bright and familiar instead of the dark, chilly parking lot. She stills completely when she sees someone leaning casually against her car and she adopts the childish thought of 'as long as I don't move it doesn't see me'. Then she realizes that the person is not tall and broad like Uriel. Instead its Castiel, who stares at her with luminous eyes, a worried look on his face. She glances around the parking lot and sees no one else.

"What are you doing here?" she asks, she's too fucking exhausted to push him away right now.

"I was worried."

"Worried?" she repeats and lights up a cigarette.

"Uriel can be quite frightening when he wishes to be." There's the unspoken comment that Uriel _always_ wants to be frightening.

"Where were you?" she asks and her voice shakes slightly. She's pissed at him, he was supposed to be watching over her, protecting her. She had barely gotten away with being burned out and it was terrifying.

"Keeping my distance as you have indicated you would like me to do." The words come out in a pained tumble and she winces.

"I'm sorry." She manages through her anger and despair. She nearly chokes on the words and the thick emotion in the air. She hates it; with Castiel around she's constantly tapping into the emotions around her. Its been explained that its her Grace doing this, and frankly she thinks Grace is a pain in the ass. If Grace were a person she would totally kick Grace's ass. Instead she settles for turning her eyes back to Castiel's. "So yeah. Sorry for being a bitch and all but its kind of disturbing to find out that my body was never my body in the first place." She coughs awkwardly and shifts to open the car door but Castiel's hand on her shoulder makes her turn and look up.

There's a long moment where he just stares at her and she opens her mouth, intending to say something, anything, even _banana hammock_ but then his lips touch hers softly. It's just the barest brush before he's pulling away, a slight smile on his face. And she caves completely. She dives in headfirst, fingers curling around the lapels of his ugly-ass trench coat as she hauls him down to her mouth. She kisses him hungrily, mouth slanted against his, tongue and teeth and lips crushing, bruising. He responds in kind and the kiss is naked, violent desire. It's the basest of baser needs, animalistic hunger and desperate want, need, take, and have. Fingers claw and grip and grasp, there's a boiling, bubbling something rising up within her, tearing its way to the surface and threatening to destroy everything she is.

Isabella presses herself against him tightly, trapped between the cool, metal of her car, and the impossible warmth of the angel. His fingers on her hips bruise in that achingly pleasant manner, it hurts but it's a good hurt. Her fingers pull and tug and twist on the trench coat and she resists the urge to slide her fingers lower, resists the urge to unbuckle the cheap belt and pop the button of the pressed pants. She resists the urge because she still can't bring herself to make that final step. So instead she rips her mouth from his, gasping and panting, banging her head against the window. The blow seems to clear her head a little bit.

They stare at each other in silence, both fascinated with the sight before them. She takes in Castiel's full lips, chapped and pretty, bruised red. His tousled hair now worse from the brief moment she had threaded her fingers through the inky strands and decided that she really shouldn't be touching his hair because she was liable to tear it out. She takes in his bright eyes, the shifting blues that now had pure silver streaking through them and blatant lust making the rest of the iris darker. He's trembling slightly, the way someone trembles from holding him or herself back. She turns her eyes from his and doesn't speak for a very long moment.

"Wow… that was just…" she trails off, unable to think of a word to describe what just happened.

"Yes." He replies and she lets out a breathless and slightly hysterical laugh.

* * *

They don't talk about Uriel's unexpected visit again after a first and very awkward time when they sat down to re-hash what happened. The days pass and it feels like a distant, terrifying dream. They all fall back into their routines. Eve and Isabella go to work and class. Castiel stalks at a distance and brings Isabella lunch. Sam offers to fix the sink and shop for groceries since Dean always seems to eat the last of everything. And Dean… well Dean lazes about and bitches about the lack of jobs in the immediate area.

"When are we going to be able to get back on the road? I'm going stir crazy here!" He asks for the hundredth time. It's been a long day, especially after her Philosophy of Religion class where she had burst out in slightly hysterical laughter when the professor started talking about angels and how benevolent they were (obviously he had never had the displeasure of meeting Uriel). That had been awkward to explain, almost as awkward as when she had fallen asleep and had apparently moaned out Castiel loud enough for the professor to hear from his spot at the podium.

"In a week!" Isabella snaps and Eve laughs from where she's peeling apples for an apple pie. Castiel stares at her with a puzzled look on his face. Isabella observes her happy, little dysfunctional almost family for a moment before dropping down besides Castiel. Automatically his hand falls onto her knee and rests there. Sometimes its just too bizarre to even contemplate the fact that she's in this weird, half-relationship with an friggin' angel, until she remembers that she's technically one. He leaned towards her, eyes still fixed on Eve's motions as he murmured from the corner of his mouth.

"What is she doing with that fruit?" he asked.

"Making apple pie." Isabella explained.

"Apple?" he questioned and Isabella snorted.

"Yeah, you know the supposed forbidden fruit." She said teasingly. But Castiel pales slightly, his eyes widen comically and Isabella finds herself laughing like a loon. "Oh wow…" she mutters and kisses the corner of his mouth. "Its not literally the forbidden fruit, I'm pretty sure your buddy Uriel is supposed to be guarding Eden and that tree."

"Ah… yes… right." Castiel says and then kisses her fully on the mouth. Everything goes fuzzy and she gets wonky-headed, sinking into him completely, immersing herself in him like she always does.

* * *

Isabella woke in the morning to a call from work stating that they didn't need her in that day. Eve herself already had a free day. She treaded to her bedroom to find Castiel frowning down at his shirt. She swallowed heavily and tried to ignore the fact that he was shirtless and she wanted to nip at his collarbone.

"What did the shirt do to you?" she asked with a teasing voice.

"It is getting harder to mend it." He said with a scowl.

"Maybe its time we introduce you to the mall… and a new set of wardrobe." She said with a wrinkled nose, eyeing his tax-accountant suit with slight disgust. It wasn't that she hated the suit; it was just that they needed other things like a pair of jeans to showcase his nice ass… and she was drooling a bit.

Before she knew it she was wrapped up in his arms, her mouth working against his and his body pressed against hers. She wondered for a brief moment how she always ended up like this before she lost her head again. It wasn't until she heard Dean bitching to Sam about the air mattress that she remembered that there were other people in the apartment. She dragged her mouth from his and leaned wearily against her dresser. It seemed to her that Castiel had a penchant for pressing her up against objects, trapping her against him.

"So how about you get dressed and I wake up the others." She said in a breathless tone. He nodded and she fled the room before she decided that she had to have one more taste of him.

They ended up taking the Impala and Eve was practically drooling over the car. Dean preened in front of her.

"Yeah I rebuilt her myself after we got T-boned…" he trailed off a hint of sadness in his face before he brightened. "Yeah she's my number one girl." He patted the hood of the car with fondness his hazel eyes brightened with happiness. Isabella watched Eve closely and noted how Eve seemed to melt at the sight of Dean being tender, even if it was with a car. She felt a small smile twitch at the corner of her mouth as she caught Sam's eyes; they looked at each other then Dean and Eve. At the same moment they both came to the same conclusion. With a jerk of his head in their direction Sam raised a questioning eyebrow. Isabella responded with a grin and a nod. It was a time for matchmaking, though neither of them was very good at it they would still try.

"Alright, maybe we should split up and meet in the food court." Dean said.

"Okay, Dean how about you and Eve go do what you need to do and me, Isabella, and Castiel will hit the clothing stores." Sam said with a sly look in Isabella's direction.

"_Awesome_, I totally did not want to shop for the holy tax accountant look."

"Yeah, is it okay if we stop by _Victoria's Secret_? You don't mind do you?" Eve asked Dean and his eyes widened as he swallowed heavily.

"No, no problem." He said smoothly.

* * *

Isabella scrutinized the blue sweater and held it up against Castiel's chest, she sighed and tossed it over her arm. She had never known how hard it was to shop for a guy who had no sense of style. He picked up a mustard yellow sweater with large horizontal red, blue, and orange stripes across it.

"I like this one, its colorful." She wrinkled her nose in disgust and pulled the sweater from his hands before tossing it on top of the pile of rejects.

"And its says that you stole it from Bert and Ernie's closet, which is a _big_ no-no." she said snarkily. Who knew that shopping for an angel would be so hard? It wasn't that he was picky; the problem was that he liked everything. He would get caught up in the texture of the fabric or the color or even the style. There were many times when Isabella had to take a particularly ugly item and toss it in the reject pile, then Castiel would pout for a few minutes before finding another heinous item of clothing. It was also difficult because neither Sam nor Isabella knew his size, and of course Castiel had no clue either. It wasn't as if either of them could get into the dressing room with him without getting thrown out. It would look bad no matter how they tried to swing it. Finally Sam had decided that Castiel was about Dean's size, though they found that he was a bit thinner and shorter.

"Who are Burt and Ernie?" Castiel asked curiously, still eyeing the hideous sweater.

"Fictional puppet characters on a children's show, not anyone that you want to emulate. I am almost certain that they are a life lesson in tolerance because I'm pretty sure they're gay. Which isn't bad but it just brings up weird thoughts of gay, puppet sex." Isabella said as she held up a dove gray tie against a sapphire colored dress shirt. It would work. She flung them across her arm and turned to Sam. "Is there anything else we forgot? Other then shoes of course. I mean we have pajamas, casual, semi-casual, dress-casual, dress, and formal."

"Uh… wow I never knew there was so many different type of casual…" Sam said while looking dazed. Isabella rolled her eyes.

"Well not everyone can pull off ripped jeans, a random t-shirt, and a plaid flannel over shirt." She said as she eyed Sam's outfit of choice. "Castiel is _much_ more sophisticated than plaid flannel." Castiel was naturally oblivious as his attention shifted from the Sesame Street sweater to a tie that was orange and pink plaid. Without thinking Isabella snatched it from his hands and tossed it onto the reject pile.

"We're missing underwear." Sam said bluntly and Isabella felt the heat of her blush spread across her face.

"Uhm." She managed to get out before she had to swallow back the gathering saliva in her mouth.

"Do you know what he happens to prefer to wear?" Sam asked while ignoring her brilliant colored face.

"Boxers." She squeaked out. "I'm just going to go over there… yeah…" she said while pointing towards a woman's section. Sam laughed and shook his head.

* * *

Dean didn't know where to look. There were so many colors and textures and he kept imagining the beautiful but frustrating things on all the women in the store. He thought he was going to die; it was an imaginary sensation overload. And of course Eve was no help, with her wide eyes and smirky smile.

"What do you think of this one?" she chimed from beside him and he turned his eyes to the purple satin and black lace bra. He swallowed heavily, eyes widening and mouth suddenly dry.

"Uh. Yeah. Its nice." Did his voice just crack? Because Dean Winchester's voice should never crack, it hadn't cracked since he was going through puberty. Almost thirty-year-old badass motherfuckers like Dean Winchester did not have their voice crack and squeak like a twelve-year-olds, especially in front of pretty women.

"Great! I'm going to go try it on!" She said happily and flounced away. Dean finally took a deep breath and closed his eyes. In the past half hour they had been to three stores. First Bath and Body Works where Eve had tested just about every fucking scent in the store before decided that she liked, in her words, 'The simple, sweet, clean scent of the Vanilla and the Exotic Coconut.' Then she had gotten some shit called Midnight Pomegranate just because it made her laugh. He was still sneezing a little bit from her constantly shoving a bottle beneath his nose and asking, 'What do you think?' Then there was that awful tea store in which she had examined every tea carefully before buying a couple of bags of loose leaf tea. There had a been a brief stop at a tiny jewelry store where she had picked up a ring of hearts. He thinks of Eve's tiny and slender fingers, the nails painted a light pink and brilliant silver rings adorning them, they're innocent hands but he knows the girl is anything but. He wants to know what Lilith said to tempt her into eating that first apple.

"Dean?" he snapped his eyes open and turned them towards Eve who standing there staring at him.

"Wha-huh?" he managed to get out.

"I asked you if you wanted to go somewhere else, I'm done here."

"Oh yeah sure."

They end up wandering around aimlessly and the mall is fairly empty, after all it's in the middle of the day in the middle of the week. He decides to ask his questions.

"Why'd you do it?" he asks out of the blue. Eve turns wary eyes to him, her expression guarded and shuttered.

"Do what?" she asks airily, playing the ignorant card. It doesn't work. They both know what he's asking about.

"Why did you eat the apple?" he decides to humor her anyway. She sighs and shifts one of the bags, probably buying time.

"Knowledge." She finally breathes out. "I wanted to know _so_ badly, I wanted to know why were there, I wanted to just _know_. Lilith told me what the tree was. Hell Isabella told me what the tree was. I _knew_ what it was, I knew what it could bring and I knew the fucking consequences." Her voice is slowly rising and she cuts herself off, swearing under her breath, her hands clenching and unclenching into fists.

"And?" Dean prods.

"And I plucked the forbidden fruit from the tree and took the first bite." She said sadly.

"And then you told Adam to take a bite."

"I didn't want to be alone when I was cast out. It was unbearable. It _hurt_. The knowledge I mean. No person should be shouldered with that." She shuddered slightly and looked like she wished she were anywhere but there. There was a wild look in her eyes. "Father was right to tell us not to eat the fruit. That knowledge was _His_ knowledge, the knowledge of everything that was, is and will be. Do you know how hard it is bear all of that? I wanted to lobotomize myself. I gave Adam the fruit because I knew what was to come, because I wanted someone else to share the burden…" she trailed off and looked away from his eyes. He realized that they hadn't moved from their little spot near _KB Toys_. He turned his eyes to watch a mother drag her protesting son out of the store. This was what they were trying to save.

"Sorry." He blurted out. "For, you know, bringing up bad memories." Eve quirked her mouth into a quick half-smile.

"Its fine. It's just been awhile since I've talked about it."

"So do you still know all?" he asked. Her face fell slightly and she shook her head.

"I know the past, and I know the present but the future is very… hazy. It's not set or anything, I'm not omniscient anymore. I just have dreams sometimes of the possibilities. Like last night I dreamt of the world, as it would be if Lilith got her hands on Isabella and used her, blood and terror and smoke in the air. Isabella was a mindless drone, Lucifer walked the earth in Sam's body and you were broken."

"And Castiel?"

"Fallen in the _worst_ kind of way… He Fell to be with her, because he loves her that much… because he came to a point where he loved her more than God, which is possible but its not good…" she trailed off and breathed deeply through her nose. "Lets get a _Cinnabon_." She chirped and skipped over to the stand. Dean stared after in her shock. Eve was probably one woman he would never understand.

* * *

In the end they've spent an obscene amount of money on Castiel's new wardrobe, Sam insisted on paying for it all with a credit card that stated his name was Carson Grey. Isabella let him and Castiel frowned the whole time until they were out of the last store.

"That was stealing." He says nonchalantly. Isabella sighs in frustration and Sam looked ashamed.

"Well unless the vessel is one rich man there was no way else we were paying." She explains. "I have money, but there's not going to be steady supply until this is all over and Sam kindly offered. Enough with the lemon face, I'm hungry and I'm betting Eve and Dean are already shoveling _Panda Express_ into their pie holes."

"Nah we got a _Cinnabon_." Eve said as she came up behind them. "We've been waiting forever, what took so long?"

"Well unlike you we had to actually shop for an entirely new wardrobe." Isabella said caustically. She set down the bags she was carrying, which was only two as Sam had kindly offered to carry the majority. "Do you know how hard it is to shop for an angel? He has no friggin' fashion sense."

"Of course he doesn't. They never do." Eve said as she dug through the various bags. "Oh you got him Chucks? Aren't they a little flimsy for running around constantly?"

"Who cares? Chucks are in; it's Geek Chic. Besides we also got ass-kicking boots, hiking boots, and _holy-fuck-run_ running shoes. And slippers."

"Wow you really went all out, what's this?" Eve held up the _Sesame Street_ sweater and wrinkled her nose. Isabella's eyes went wide and turned around with her hands on her hips.

"How the _hell_ did that get in there?" she hissed out.

"I like it." Castiel stated firmly.

"Its _hideous_!"

"Sam said I could have it if I wanted it." Castiel said petulantly.

"What the hell, Sam! Its ugly and he's too cute to be wearing something that ugly!" Isabella said angrily.

"Look it might make him blend in more." Sam pointed out. "He puts it on and people stop noticing that there's something off about him and start noticing the ugly ass sweater and stop wondering why he staring at them like a creep and start wondering why his girlfriend let him out of the house like that."

"He has a point." Dean said his eyes slightly glazed as he stared transfixed by the sweater. Isabella huffed and muttered something under her breath.

"Fuck it. I need a smoke." She said while throwing up her hands.

* * *

"Shit." Eve said as she hung up the phone. "Apparently my mother is having another one of her episodes where she decides she hates my dad and my dad wants me to come over and spend the night to make sure she doesn't destroy his work room out of spite."

"What did they fight about this time?" Isabella asked. They had just been getting ready to go to bed when Eve's phone had ringed.

"Beats the hell out of me…" Eve muttered and she pulled her overnight bag out of her closet. It was already packed with all of the essentials as Eve had gone through this drill several times before.

"Jeez you're like a boy scout or something. Always prepared."

"Yeah well better safe than sorry." Eve said with a snort. "I'll probably be back by noon tomorrow." She said and minutes later Isabella could hear her saying her goodbyes to Sam and Dean. With a sigh of pleasure at getting the bed to herself Isabella clicked off the bedside lamp and sprawled out happily. Tonight she was going to get a decent night of sleep.

_The smoke was thick and heavy in the air and when she inhaled she could smell sulphur that burned down her throat and stung her eyes. The sun tried valiantly to shine through the thick smoke but failed miserably, casting a sickly half-light that flamed red for a moment. Isabella turned her eyes from the sky to the ground and felt her knees go weak. It was a veritable battlefield around her. The ground below her was muddy, not from rain or water, but rather from the blood soaking into the ground. There were bodies strewn about, some were recognizable as human and others… others were so mangled that she couldn't be sure. Her stomach rebelled against her commands and she bent at the waist, dry heaving and gagging for a few minutes before she wiped her mouth._

_"Hello?" she yelled. No one answered her call. She turned in a circle and shouted again and again but no avail._

_It was on her final turn that she spotted plaid flannel. Her stomach dropped out and she found herself running before she could even think to._

_"Sam!" she shouted out as she dropped down beside the prone figure. "So much blood." She moaned out and she searched for a pulse, for the barest flicker of life. There was nothing. Her hands came away bloodied and she resisted the urge to wipe them on her clothing. Where Sam was Dean wouldn't be too far behind. She searched for a moment, a hard knot of tears lodged in her throat and pleaded with her silent father that Dean would be all right but she spotted an outstretched hand and let out a sob. The hand had a single silver ring adorning it, and the wrist had a familiar skull bracelet on it. She stood up and walked with leaden feet to Dean's body. The abdominal and chest cavity was viciously torn open and his face was stark white, blood flecking it generously. His glazed eyes were widened with terror, turned towards… Isabella turned her head away and covered her mouth with shaking hands, stifling the scream that threatened to rip its way out of her mouth._

_Eve lay only a few feet from Dean, her already pale skin grey from death. Her hair was matted and bloodied, her face slack and oddly at peace. It seemed that her death had been quick and merciful. Isabella wondered who had killed her, and the morbid thought distracted her from the fact that her best friend was dead, at least for a moment. It looked like she had just gone to sleep right there on the battlefield, and if it wasn't for the fact that they were on a battlefield and she was bloodied Isabella would think that she was just sleeping. Isabella dropped to her knees besides Eve and let out a low, moaning sob._

_"**No**. No…" she murmured and rocked back and forth for a few minutes just staring at Eve. Finally she couldn't look anymore and with a broken cry she wrenched herself from the ground._

_And that's when she saw it._

_It was a dirty, ash covered wing, sticking up from the ground defiantly. She felt her heart grow cold and her stomach bottom out. Her breath caught in her throat and she gave a strangled cry as she started to run towards the ashen and bloodied wing. She slipped and slid on the muddied ground and skidded to a halt to the broken body. Castiel's wide, lifeless eyes stared up at her and her stomach turned._

_"No…" she moaned out and then the screams started. She shrieked loudly and the sobs tumbled from her mouth. "Oh God… please!" She let out a shattering wordless scream._

She woke up screaming. Castiel's face hovered above hers, concerned and sincere.

"Dove, its just a dream… just a dream…" he murmured as he pressed his lips to his forehead. She spotted Sam and Dean in the doorway, faces stoic and guns in hand and she gagged thinking of their torn bodies.

"It was so _real_." She sobbed out and pressed her face to the crook of Castiel's neck. He smelled clean and pure and she inhaled his scent deeply. He smelled alive. Blessedly and beautifully alive.

"I won't let it happen." He murmured into her hair as a calming hand gently stroked her back. He started to pull away but she gripped him tighter, her mind still stuck on the nightmare where he had been horrifically dead. And it was in that exact moment that she realized how much he meant to her, that her body thrummed with something that her mind refused to believe.

"Don't leave me. Please don't leave me." She begged and Castiel instead pulled her closer, gathering her into his arms before taking her back to her own room.

"Sleep… and dream pleasant dreams." He said just before he placed two calloused fingers to her forehead and the world dropped away.

* * *

A/N: So I've just spent a majority of my Holiday Break working and today was my first day off so I figured I would finally post this (its been done for a week-ish). By the way if anyone is curious about the heinous Sesame Street sweater there is a picture of Misha Collins wearing said sweater at the _Vancouver Poetry Convention_ on the Misha Collins official livejournal. And he's grinning like an idiot, its very adorkable. If need be I can PM interested parties the link. Gugh… is it bad to murder your mother's boyfriend because he's a douche bag? I don't think it is. He keeps coming into my room to lecture me and I'm just itching to chuck something at him. I'm almost convinced he's a demon. Sam! Dean! Castiel! SAVE ME!!!! ***Cough*** Anyway… School is starting again and I find myself once more wondering if college is even worth it when I don't even know what I want to do. Well at least _Supernatural_ is starting back up in just over a week, thank god because I'm pretty sure that I'm going nuts without it. Gee… I sound like some kind of addict. _Supernatural_ is my drug of choice! I can just see the commercials now with some kid sitting in front of the TV watching _Supernatural_ and some crappy voiceover cautioning against _Supernatural_ usage and how it causes paranoia and brain damage as well as lust and in some extreme cases listening to "The Devil's Music"… hehe… well anyway I hope everyone enjoyed this installment and remember to review because come on… 300 plus hits and only two reviews… not very encouraging so I once more encourage you to review even if its, 'YOU SUCK!' or 'More! Now!'. Anyway… have I told you that you rock LostPhan3? Because you do. I'm glad you like the descriptions because I always do a read through before I post and I wonder if most of them are even interesting or necessary and then I say fuck it and post anyway. I'm a lazy bastard… or bitch as it were. What did you think of Uriel? I'm wondering if I even got the character right or not. Speaking of Misha… apparently he's going to appear in an episode of _Nip/Tuck_, normally I wouldn't watch it but I saw the clip of his consultation with them and now I just can't resist, although I doubt I'll ever be able to look at him (or Castiel) the same now. And hot damn as I was editing this (again... i swear tonight its getting posted) I was reading a Sera Gamble interview and she said we get an episode coming up that begins with Castiel's POV! OH MY FUCKING GOD! *flails* *swoons* *dies* Finally Kripke! I've been spending the past season and some change pissed at Kripke (I threw a shoe at my TV the last time I was upset and then nearly shattered my friend's eardrum was I was really pissed) Now he's getting back on my good side, kudos to Kripke for hiring Misha and then giving what the fans want. BEST MOVE EVER! And shutting up now....


	4. Dust

Title: Absolution

Author: TigerTiger02

Chapter Title: Dust

Spoilers: pretty much if you haven't seen any season four you probably shouldn't be reading this since Castiel is featured heavily. Pre-"I Know What You Did Last Summer"…. And considering this has been Kripke'd (although I've been working on it for a good month) I think you all know where this is heading…

Summary: Castiel's retrieves Sam and Dean for a mission from God. Guess they didn't expect it to be an Atomic-Bomb Girl. Shameless Castiel/OC.

Disclaimer: not mine, if it was I would totally take Castiel home as pet, he's just so darn cute!

Dedication: to Nikki, who urged me to post this even though I was sorely tempted not.

_The floor moves and it trembles  
Old West shakes as it opens up  
People are dying and  
I know the cause of it all  
With so many buried  
The dead twitch on crowded roads  
Dirt breaks; dust follows,  
Cracks in the plains are exposed_

-"Dust" The Faint ft. Conor Oberst

She awoke feeling warm and secure. For a moment she thought that she was still in Eve's bed with Eve who had a tendency to cuddle up with whoever happened to be sleeping next to her. Then she remembered the awful dream where Sam and Dean had been torn to pieces and Eve just struck dead and Castiel, _oh God_… Castiel… he had been so broken, like a neglected toy. She swallowed the sob that threatened and tried to focus on the here and now. She had woken from the dream screaming and Castiel had been there, beautifully alive and breathing and his eyes bright and lively. She had latched onto him, and in retrospect she hated herself for being so clingy. So the logical conclusion was that she was in her own bed and the warm body pressed against hers was Castiel.

She opened her eyes and turned her head. He was lying on his back, one arm curled around her shoulders and the other across his body, hand resting on her hip. His face was calm and slack with sleep, lips slightly parted and he was snoring lightly, a fact which she found humorous. She was pressed against his side, legs tangled with his, and head pressed to the juncture of his shoulder and torso. Now that she was paying attention she could hear the steady Thump-Thump of his heart beating. Beneath her fingertips she could feel the soft skin of his stomach, with a sigh of content and she shifted closer to the unusual warmth of the angel, trying to soak up as much heat as possible. She was so _cold _after that nightmare; even hours later she was still goose-bumped and shivering.

Isabella started to drift back asleep, her frantic, racing thoughts lulled in fuzzy headedness by the steady breathing of Castiel and his strong, steady heartbeat. She felt safe here. She felt safe wrapped up in his arms, with his impossible warmth and the scent of his skin. Then he shifted slightly and his breathing changing, hitched almost as he slowly woke up. She shifted her head and opened her eyes to meet his sleep-hazed eyes. A slow, lazy smile crawled across his face and he tightened his hold on her.

"Hmm… good morning." He purred out, voice sleep roughened and soft. "Did you sleep better?" he asked with a slight frown when remembered why he was waking up next to her instead of the cold unused side of the bed. In this moment he seemed so very human to her.

"Better than I've ever slept before, what did you do?" For a moment he contemplated her question before answering slightly sheepishly.

"It's been called my angel-fu." He looked puzzled by this term and she laughed at his expression, the tone in which he explained it and at the phrase, no doubt thought up by Dean. She stopped laughing when she realized that he was staring at her intently.

"What? Do I have some drool on my face?"

"No… its just when you laugh you look so perfectly alive. So _human _and _happy_… it's art. You need to laugh more." He said before reaching up his free hand and tilting her head so he could kiss her properly. She sank into the kiss like she always did and _oh_… it was so incredibly perfect, they fit together so easily. Her lips slanted against his sent spark shooting down her spine and she could feel her body heat up even more. She wants more of this but she doesn't dare, she isn't ready to become angelic, she isn't ready to discard the body she wears. Sometimes she feels as if she's drowning in Castiel, because she loses herself in him completely. She stops thinking; she stops being individual and just melts into him.

He shifts against her, pulling himself from their awkward position so that's he's pressing from above her. She caged between his arms and it's not intimidating or frightening, it's just natural. She presses up against him, trying to realign them, trying to keep touching him, keep them pressed together. Then he slides one of his legs between hers and shifted his knee up and _oh_… she moans into his mouth and her fingers clutch at the sheets. There's the brief, fleeting thought of how the hell does he know what to do? Before she realizes that she really needs to extract herself from him before she loses herself completely. She jerks her head back and stares into his darkened eyes, now storm colored.

"Uhm." She swallows heavily. "I need to… uhm…" She wonders how he manages to undo her like this. He blinks down at her and shakes his head slightly, as if he trying to shake out his lustful thoughts.

"Of course." Castiel says and his voice is rough. He crawls off of her and sits placidly on his side of the bed, just watching her. She takes a moment to straighten her mussed clothing before taking a peak in the vanity mirror and cringing. She runs a brush through it before marching to the kitchen.

Sam smirks at her from his coffee cup and she gives him the finger.

"How was your night with Castiel?" he asked while waggling his eyebrows.

"Shut up." She growled, feeling her face heat up with a blush. The apartment was entirely too friggin' small, everyone was in everyone else's business. When she glanced over at Sam there was a characteristic frown fixed on his face.

"What were you dreaming about anyway?" Isabella stiffened at the words and focused on her shaking hands, scooping loose-leaf tea out of the green bag; she set down the spoon and the bag and clenched her hands into fists.

"The future. If we fail."

"What did you see?" he asked insistently and she felt the tears well in her eyes and her stomach drop, a cold hand of ice squeezed her heart tightly.

"Ugly things. Awful things. Things that make me want to lobotomize myself, things that I can't un-see now."

"We're going to stop it." He said confidently and she turned hollow eyes up to his brilliant green pair.

"I pray to God we do Sam… I don't think I could take it." She focuses her attention back on the tea and simple action calms her down.

* * *

She can't concentrate in her class. Her mind keeps flashing to the nightmare, or had it been a premonition?

"Isabella?" she snaps to attention, turning her gaze to the teacher who is staring at her.

"Uhm." She blurts out unintentionally.

"I was wondering if you yourself had a religious experience you would care to share." He said bluntly, his voice soft and holding a deliberate cadence. She nearly laughs at the question when she realizes it's about the reading about the possibility of religious experiences. She wondered what her professor would say if she said she had slept with an angel last night. Or that she was one. She raked her mind for something to say.

"My boyfriend." She blurts out again. _Fuck_. Everyone looked at her and she flushed. "What I meant to say is that my boyfriend is a very devout man and he claims he had a religious experience."

"And?" the professor prodded.

"And he's… changed. He's happier." She shrugged and turned her eyes to her notebook, realizing that in her time of spacing out she had taken notes and doodled in the margins, in a language she didn't recognize. It could have been Latin but she doesn't think it is. It's terrifying that she's done this without even being aware.

"Hey!" She snaps her head up and realizes that everyone is filtering out of the classroom. She looks over at Clyde, the wiry, ex-army Hawaiian and he raises a dark brow at her.

"Whoa. Class is over?"

"Yeah, how much did you drink last night?" he asks and she frowns.

"I didn't go out drinking last night… I'm just incredibly tired." He smirked at her and held up his pack of cigarettes.

"Smoke?"

"Sure."

The air is brisk outside and Isabella shivers for a moment.

"Damn its cold." Clyde remarks and she nods, wishing she were warmer. "Whoa… you look weird." He said when he finally glanced over at her.

"What do you mean?" she asked defensively. She looked down at her pale hands and blinked. It was barely noticeable in the blinding November sun but she was glowing, sparkling almost. She cringed mentally and realized that her Grace was malfunctioning again. Then Clyde shifts his gaze from her to over her right shoulder and his eyes widen.

"Isabella." She turns around and Castiel stands there, staring impassively at Clyde but there's a slight hint of displeasure on his face. He shifts his eyes to her and cocks an eyebrow, tilting his head in that bizarre manner he's fond of.

"_Cas_." She breathes out. "What are you doing here? I thought you had work." She says nervously and Clyde is looking at her funny. She looks back at Castiel and notices for the first time that he's wearing a pair of black jeans, the Chucks, a black t-shirt, a blue button-up and a pinstripe punkish blazer. He looks too damn sexy. She sucks in a quick breath and tries to remember that it's inappropriate to shove in him against the nearest wall and ravish him in public.

"You called me." He says.

"Oh right for uhm… lunch." She says. "Oh! Clyde this is my boyfriend Cas and Cas this is one of my classmates Clyde!" Clyde politely extends his hand and Castiel stares at his hand for a long moment before shaking it.

"Pleasure to meet you…" Castiel murmurs and Clyde nods.

"Yeah, nice to meet you too." Clyde says and pulls his hand away. Isabella discreetly glances at her left hand and realizes that the glow is increasing, probably with the presence of Castiel.

"Well we had better go…" she murmurs and Castiel places a hand on her lower back, sliding it upwards until it's beneath her shirt. Its warm and she notices the sparkling, glow of her skin is increasing steadily. She sucks in another quick breath when his fingers start rubbing gentle circles.

"Okay… see you in class." Clyde says and gives her another puzzled look before striding to his car. She watches him for a moment before stepping away from Castiel; she's panicking now and it's clear that the odd glow isn't seeping away from her skin. In fact it seems to gather strength. She turns to Castiel and glares at him.

"What is going on with my Grace?" she hisses out.

"Anything could have triggered it…" he murmurs and touches two fingers to her wrist, eyes fluttering closed as he concentrated on something. A moment later the glow dims and she no longer feels like she should be an extra in _Twilight_. She grimaced at the thought of the fictional characters; fans of the movie and books were run screaming in the other direction if they ever came across a real vampire. From what Dean had told her they were nasty creatures with rows of shark teeth, though there were a few benevolent vampires as difficult as it was to imagine. She personally liked her vampires like Lestat, cruel, snarling, and yet still tempting. They were supposed to be terrifying, Nosferatu or Dracula. In front of her Castiel snapped his eyes opened. "It should hold for awhile longer but we need to do something more permanent soon…" he murmured as he took her hand in his.

"Yeah… this is getting a little out of hand for me. I was in class and I spaced. When I finally snapped to it I had written this…" She said and held up the notebook. Castiel furrowed his eyebrows and frowned, his full lips moved as he silently mouthed the words. "What does it say?" she finally asks.

"It's Aramaic." He said slowly, his mouth twitched slightly, as if he were keeping back a smile.

"Yeah but what does it say." She asked insistently. He leveled his gaze at her and sighed.

"It means, roughly translated, Isabella and Castiel forever," he said with a cocked eyebrow. She blushed brightly and yanked her hand from his.

"And now I feel like I'm twelve again and doodling in my notebook, 'Isabella and Jimmy Jones forever'…"

* * *

It's nearly the end of the night on her last day when the intercom beeps.

"We have a tour!" the receptionist chirps and Isabella sighs.

"Yeah okay…" she mutters and turns to the rest of the night crew.

"Nuh-uh. I ain't doin' it." Kurtis mutters and Tom shakes his head in enthusiastically.

"Samantha?" Isabella implored.

"No way. I did the last tour that came in.," she said with a wrinkled nose. "That woman was fucking nuts." Isabella sighed and checked herself in a darkened window. She looked presentable enough, although her lips looked a little swollen and there was a faint hickey on her neck from her lunch with Castiel. It seemed like the angel was starved for human contact, at least with her. She pushed her hair over the hickey and shrugged. It was good enough.

She made her way to the front and fixed a smile on her face. The hospital was mostly silent as most of her co-workers had left and her shoes squeaked loudly on the floor. At the cashier a young girl stood in an impeccable outfit with her father who stood protectively over her. The girl looked perfectly normal, with her long, curled blond hair and large blue eyes. She was a pretty child and would probably grow up to be a heart breaker. She wore a perfectly put together outfit in pink and grey plaid wool, the jacket and skirt clearly a set with the crisp, white shirt. There was a pink headband perched atop her blond curls and Isabella was reminded of a British child in some movie she had recently watched. But there was something off about her. The smile that was fixed on the girl's young face seemed malicious as if there was some sick hunger lurking in the girl's mind. Isabella shuddered inwardly and she could feel something inside of her struggle, her Grace probably.

"Hi there, I'm Isabella and I'll be showing you the kennel where your doggy will be staying." She said gently, using her best 'Communicating-with-a-child' voice. "What's your name, sweetie." The child turned her pale blue eyes up at Isabella and the malice in the smile increased.

"I'm Lilith." She said in a high, clear bell-like voice. Isabella felt the cold dread of fear creep up her spine and squeeze her heart with icy fingers. She kept the smile fixed on her face and glanced towards the man that stood with Lilith. Her smirked at her in a knowing fashion and cocked an eyebrow.

"Well if you'll just follow me." Isabella said and stiffly made her way in back.

In the kennel her fellow workers stood with bored expression and Isabella subtly glanced at the clock, it was eight and time to leave.

"Go on, guys." Isabella said nervously. If she was about to be killed she did not want anyone who wasn't tangled up in this war to die with her.

"You sure?" Samantha asked, taking in Isabella's expression and the cold milk color of her face.

"Positive." Before leaving they bade her goodbye and promise to e-mail. They left quickly and Lilith watched them leave without making any movement. Now that she had what she wanted she had no time to dally if she wanted Lucifer out of his prison. Isabella shuddered at the sudden cacophony of the dogs barking, howling, and snarling. Like with Castiel their reaction was due to the presence of something not human, it was clear that they felt the evil of Lilith and were reacting to it.

She led them to a silent, empty ward. The white of the walls and floor gleamed like bleached bone, recently cleaned but if Lilith had her way they would be red within the hour.

"So this is where we'll be keeping your dog. What kind of dog do you have, sweetie?" Isabella asked trying to keep up with the clueless façade. Lilith turned her eyes to Isabella and she fought the urge to scream. The little girl's eyes were as white as the floor, and the solid white covered her entire eyes. She smiled a cruel, little smile so out of place on the previously sweet looking child.

"I have big, _mean _dogs that will _rip _you _apart_." She said in a high, cold voice. Isabella felt a rush of warmth through her horror-struck numbness and she realized that she was glowing brightly, like a beacon. There was no escaping her fate now. It was clear Lilith knew who she was and the glow of Isabella's Grace created no doubt on what she was exactly. "How pretty… I've always wanted another angel of my own… I'll make you _fall_, but first I'll rip out that pretty Grace and use it. Then I'll put it back in and make you do things that will make the Earth and Heaven _scream _and _tremble_." Isabella took a step back and bumped into the wall.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said nervously.

"Don't pretend. It'll just make things harder." The man said with a malevolent smile.

"Please…" she whimpered, sliding down the wall. And now she could see the terrible beasts that Lilith had spoke of.

They were large, roughly the size of a South African Mastiff, their heads twice the size of hers and outweighing her by nearly eighty pounds. There were two of them, strands of saliva dripping from their mouths, teeth bared and they were snarling; trembling from holding themselves back. They resembled a pair of vicious wolves crossbred with Rottweilers, fur jet black, matted, and spiked up. There were patches of fur and skin missing and she could see slick, wet, red muscle or white bone through the empty spaces. They reeked of death and decay, rotted meat that has sat in the sun. She almost retched at the stench of the mutant dogs. The most terrifying part of them was the terrible eyes, blood red and focused on Isabella.

"Scary, aren't they? You have seen the look on Dean's face when I set them on him, when they were tearing him apart. Pure agony… and he kept screaming and _screaming_. Too bad it had to stop but then again… we did have him in hell for quite sometime… thirty years of torture before he gave in. And then another ten years of torture!" she clapped her head delighted at the thought and Isabella felt sick. She pouted for a moment and spoke again. "It's just too bad that the _naughty _angel had to take him from us… but we'll have you in the pit soon enough! And we will have so much fun with you…"

"Keep away, Filth!" Isabella snarled and it was as if someone else had taken over her mouth. Lilith's eyes went wide.

"Oh my! You are a feisty kitty, aren't you? Filth? I hardly think that's called for! Ah well… you won't be as feisty after I break you but I guess that's half the fun of it all!" she gave a high-pitched giggle and Isabella flinched. _Please God… Please Father… help me…_ she thought and hell her thoughts were almost whimpers.

"I think she's praying, how _cute_." The unnamed demon said and smirked down at her.

"Do you think that He is going to answer you? Ha! He hasn't answered anyone in years… especially not his _neglected _ones, like little broken toys. They don't play well anymore so he locks 'em up and shoves 'em into dark corners… forgets them…" for a moment the child looked forlorn and wistful but then anger flared up onto her face. "No matter! How about we get on with the fun stuff!" Lilith withdrew a knife from her cute pink backpack and smiled wickedly. "Tie her up for now Cain." The demon moved towards her with intent and a cruel smile on his face.

As soon as his hand touched her upper arm the luminosity that was seeping from her skin flared up and he hissed, pulling his hand back quickly. His eyes flickered black and sparks were being thrown off of his fingers.

"Interesting…" Lilith commented. "Touch her again." She ordered and the demon raised his good hand, still flexing the other one, and anxiously reached out. "With your entire hand." Lilith tacked on. Wincing, the demon hurriedly pressed his fingers and palm against her shoulder. He jerked back a moment later, howling in pain and whimpering as he held his hand out for her to see. Sparks sizzled and jumped across his skin, a mini crackling lightning storm across his entire hand. He cringed and winced and Lilith lifted a bemused eyebrow. Isabella eyed her warily.

"Guess you're going to have a problem killing me if you can't touch me." Isabella taunted and Lilith growled the sound unnatural coming from such a delicate child. Lilith lashed out with her hand, backhanding Isabella hard enough for her to crack her head against the wall. The sparks didn't work on Lilith.

"Someone is _oh so very wrong_." The child said with a smirk. Isabella felt her eyes widen as Lilith came closer to her but the child took a step back. "You know I thought for a moment that he had gone through with his mission to release your Grace from its prison but now it's clear that he hasn't. He hasn't fulfilled his mission at all. I think there are several reasons why he hasn't but do you want me to tell you all of them or the more important ones?"

"Shut up." Isabella said weakly.

"I'll think we'll go with the short version. I think that Castiel loves your humanity too much… he just loves the human too much. Which is fine, he can love those evolved apes all he wants. But it can lead to some _sticky _situations… like _falling _or _failing_. This is why he has failed because he likes you weak and vulnerable. He likes being the strong one in your relationship and how _fragile _and _breakable _you are. Tsk. Tsk. You know the other reason I was talking about? I think it's because he fears you. He's afraid that you will fall as easily as he could. He fears your power. That's a pity. Well such is life and death. Now how about we get down to business and break those seals? We can do this the easy way and the hard way."

"How about neither?" Isabella growled, trying to show that Lilith's words didn't affect her. Lilith's ignored her.

"You see the easy way is if you willingly follow my orders. You can still be in your body but you'll follow my every order. The hard way is I just rip out your Grace and take over your body. I'll twist it up for my darker purposes and you'll just die or fade away into oblivion, or where ever you angels send us when you burn us out." Lilith said while drawing a circle with symbols scattered over it in red chalk on the floor. She set a few black candles around the circle and lit them. "Now which will it be?"

"No. This isn't going to happen."

"This is non-negotiable, Isabella. I guess it will have to be the hard way." The little girl sighed and wiped her hands on her dress. She reached out and grabbed Isabella, her tiny hand surprisingly strong. She tried to struggle but nothing happened. She was dragged into the circle and unceremoniously dropped to the floor. "Now stay there and be a good girl." Lilith said and stepped outside of the circle to retrieve her knife. In that moment Isabella heard rustling and she turned her head to the door.

Castiel and Uriel stood there, staring stoically at the scene in front of them. However Isabella could tell that Castiel was worried just by his widened eyes. Lilith snarled, her face twisting horribly when she saw them.

"Is this your little cavalry?" she asked. "One _little _Dominion angel and an Arch? You think I can't _destroy _you? You can't save her now. She's in the circle." But even as she said those words Castiel stepped into the circle and took Isabella by the arm. He turned to Lilith and a bright glow filled the room. Isabella stared stupidly at Castiel's wings.

She could see them now; no longer were they a shadowy expanse of vague wing shapes but actual, luminous wings. They stretched to at most twelve feet total and looked soft to the touch. The color of the feathers varied, from a soft dove gray to a brilliant gold to a cream color. They weren't white though, not fully, from the corner of her eye she could understand how a person could mistake them for being white. Even as she looked at them she found herself wondering if he could actually fly.

"You made a fatal mistake, _Screeching One_." Uriel intoned deeply. He smirked at her and raised his hand. "You forgot that chalk smudges." They all looked at the circle and they could all see that Isabella being dragged into the circle had smudged the chalk.

"No!" Lilith snarled angrily. "I was so close!" She screamed just before she threw her head back and thick black smoke billowed out of her mouth in a screeching scream.

"You'll be fine?" Castiel asked and Uriel nodded.

"I can handle one _little _demon." Uriel said and Cain, who had been whimpering in pain, looked up in fear. Uriel stepped close to him and smiled wickedly.

"Hold on." Castiel whispered in Isabella's ear as he wrapped an arm around her waist. Then there was the sensation of flying and she felt crushed and free at the same time.

* * *

When she came to her head was in Castiel's lap and he was gently stroking her hair.

"What happened?" she asked.

"You passed out. Sometimes flying can be a bit rough on humans." He explained.

"Lilith found me." She whispered. "She actually found me."

"We knew it would happen eventually. When I felt your Grace attempt to break free I knew that Lilith had found you. I called on a sister to protect Dean, Sam and Eve while they gathered our things and left in the Impala. They are fine and are heading to their friend Bobby's homestead in South Dakota. I called Uriel to help me."

"And where are we?"

"In an isolated forest in Nebraska."

"Why?"

"So that I will not harm anyone."

"Why?" she felt like a small child asking that.

"I must brand you like it did to Dean. It's going to hurt and it could fell this forest. It will open a better connection between us so that you will be able to use a bit more of your Grace and control it better. It will also aid you in calling me when you need me."

"Oh. Okay."

"I apologize in advance to the pain I will cause you."

"It's fine."

"No. It isn't." he said. But he slid his hand up her shirtsleeve anyway, positioning it across her shoulder. Then he pressed his lips to hers.

At first it started out as mild warmth, tingling slightly and she thought that maybe his concept of pain was a little off. Then there was a burning sensation that increased with each passing second until it finally started to reach unbearable. She gritted her teeth in order to keep the scream from erupting from her mouth. But then the real pain started. It was searing white-hot pain and pins and needles and _oh god_ it hurt. It was like someone was actually branding her, except they actually kept the brand on for longer then a second. And it was building until she was shaking and screaming. Her muscles convulsing in an attempt to get away from the pain but Castiel held her firmly. She could hear, distantly through the pain, the sounds of crashing and creaking and cracking. The forest coming down around them and the pain was reaching new heights. She passed out again and her last coherent thought was that she was kind of sick of passing out.

When she came to again she was propped up in the passenger seat of her car. Castiel was driving and shooting her a relieved look.

"Ow." She said.

"I apologize again." He said as he pulled over.

"What happened?"

"You passed out… again. It was to be expected."

"How did we get in my car?"

"I went back to your work to retrieve your things and the car. We'll need it."

"So we're on the road?"

"Yes."

"How long have I been out?"

"It's three in the morning. It was ten when you had passed out."

"_Jeez_…" Isabella muttered and blinked tiredly. Even though she had been sleeping she felt like shit.

"Rest now. We'll be at Bobby's in a couple of hours." He reached out, his forefinger and middle finger extended. She opened her mouth to protest but he touched his fingers to her forehead and she dropped off into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

A/N: Hello everyone! Sorry this took so long to post… classes started again, which means that I will have less time to write… then again I only have classes Tuesday and Thursday, which reminds me I have a ridiculous amount of homework for Symbolic Logic (a class that I was coerced into taking and now regret it). Has anyone taken the class? It sucks; it may count as a math credit but screw that. At least I can be amused by my wonderful friend i.e. the bitch who convinced me to not drop it. Anyway… I'm also taking Biology: Heredity, Evolution, and Culture a class that fairly interesting with a fairly nice teacher and Non-Western Philosophy, which is also interesting, the problem is that I've taken a Religions of the World class and it is turning out to be very similar to the NWP class… disappointment, but at least the professor is funny. I have yet to start my Ancient through Medieval West Humanities course (three hours from 630 to 930 at night) but it should be interesting as I've heard the professor is very laid back and let the class out early, as well as provides study guides which are literally the tests, so awesome! Anyway… did everyone enjoy the past two episodes? I know I did! Except the ending of the last one, that pissed me off (I'm trying not to spoil anything…). I actually threw my slipper at the TV… obviously I have issues. I keep checking around looking for info on when we're going to have an episode with Castiel in it but so far nadda. However February 3rd is when he's supposed to be on Nip/Tuck if I got that right… heh. I'm looking forward to that. Anyway… special thanks to AnnabelleLee13194 and Peyton16 for adding this. And…

AnnabelleLee: I fell off my chair when I saw that I had a reviewer other than LostPhan3 (nothing against you LostPhan!) Thanks for reviewing and making me laugh, and it's funny you said that its thought out because really I don't even know what's going to happen half the time, it writes itself sometimes… but honestly I have a number of future scenes written… in my head. Does that still count? Anyway Welcome to the Dark Side (although I'm not sure if Dark Side means Castiel/OC or something else entirely, as long as it doesn't mean Mary Sue then awesome) and remember, here on the Dark Side, we have cookies!

LostPhan3: I've seem to have found the only other Uriel fan on the planet, and that's you! So yay! I love him to pieces; in fact I almost want a tiny Uriel to carry in my pocket and then whip him out when I'm pissed at someone so he can insult them for me! Uriel is in chapter five also, in the first scene as a matter of fact, I intend to use him a lot, and I think that Castiel and he are a great duo. Dick with wings, I never visualized it until I read your review and burst out laughing at work, and then got a bunch of puzzled looks from my co-workers. Castiel's sweater is awesomely bad! It's actually Misha's sweater from the Vancouver Poet's Convention (I think it's called that). When I saw it I just laughed and wondered if his wife phoned him and yelled at him (or if she had bought it for him). I imagine that Castiel is a very sense orientated angel and he seems like the type to be enthralled by colors and patterns, and probably shiny things (damnit, now I have another Castiel!Crack fic in my head) I bet he enjoys experiencing different textures like, "Oooh this is slimy feeling but this is soft like a bunny!" I have to admit Sam's line about Castiel blending in with the sweater on is probably one of my favorite lines in anything I've ever written, the other is, "You stand out like a Hello Kitty pillow in Satan's Den." Which is totally going to show up in future chapter rather then stay in the un-posted, bizarre BTVS and King Arthur crossover I wrote and never posted out of shame. LMAO, Two-Finger Nap Thingie for the win! I have a strange feeling that Castiel will be using that a lot in the future! No joke I have watched the Nip/ Tuck commercial far too much for a sane person… and giggled like a dumbass as well. My friend is the same way; I just told her "Look it will be funny! And besides you totally want the image in your head! I mean how hot is that?" And she just looked at me funny and said, "Annie, it's disturbing, not hot." Upsetting things? Do tell! I like to torture myself… I heard that they're bringing in a long-lost brother bullshit thing either at the end of this season or the next, I refuse to believe it because I don't think Kripke would be that much of a douche bag. But who knows, we did get the whole Anna storyline, blech I agree with you there. However I don't think he will stoop as low as the "Grey's Anatomy" writers, what with bringing in Jeffery Dean Morgan (oh JDM! How could you?) as a hallucination/ghost that has sex with Izzie. Like what the fuck?! Anyway… I will gladly assist you with said mail bomb if he doesn't shape up soon.


	5. Sleep

Title: Absolution

Author: TigerTiger02

Chapter Title: Sleep

Spoilers: pretty much if you haven't seen any season four you probably shouldn't be reading this since Castiel is featured heavily. Pre-"I Know What You Did Last Summer"…. And considering this has been Kripke'd (although I've been working on it for a good month) I think you all know where this is heading…

Summary: Castiel's retrieves Sam and Dean for a mission from God. Guess they didn't expect it to be an Atomic-Bomb Girl. Shameless Castiel/OC.

Disclaimer: not mine, if it was I would totally take Castiel home as pet, he's just so darn cute!

Dedication: to Nikki, who urged me to post this even though I was sorely tempted not.

_A drink for the horror that I'm in,  
For the good guys, and the bad guys,  
For the monsters that I've been.  
Three cheers for tyranny,  
unapologetic apathy;  
because there ain't no way that I'm coming back again._

_"Sleep"- My Chemical Romance_

Castiel has to access the vessel's memories of driving to drive the behemoth mass of metal. The last time he had the pleasure of treading the worn paths of the earth he had walked; with that exception of the time Uriel had coerced him into riding a horse. He knew angels were supposed to love all of God's creatures but the damned thing had thrown him, far, and he refused to deal with them ever again. If he were a lesser being it might have been from fear and if he were fallen it might have been from wounded pride however neither was the case, he just didn't like the finicky animals. However he didn't exactly enjoy being trapped in the metal of the car, he felt cut off from the world and disconnected. Metal had such magical properties at times, iron to ward away spirits and demons and silver to kill unnatural beings, but for an angel it was like cutting him (or her) off from the deepest connection the earth. It wasn't painful it was just very confining. Normally he would have flown but he didn't think Isabella's fragile human form could have taken much more.

It was lucky that Lilith was unprepared for an assault, though really what did she expect? Did she honestly think that she could waltz in there and take Isabella out from under their noses? How arrogant of her, to think that they would ignore their greatest weapon and the flawed chink in their armor? His hands tighten on the steering wheel compulsively and he takes a few deep breathes. It's harder in the vessel to remain detached; the expansive and encompassing range of human emotions is almost too much at times. It is very difficult to control his emotions; they burn through him so easily, tearing a path through the body. He supposes that this why many have fallen; it is the lure of these burning emotions and reckless abandon. Its not that angels don't have emotions it's just that they are not sensory like human emotions, they are not tangible. An angel can feel anger but the anger does not have the tantalizing tang of blood rushing through veins and rapid heartbeat and clenched teeth and clenched fists and mindless _fucking _rage. Fear does not hold the same appeal as anger, stomach dropping to unknown depths and his heart in his throat and it beats so fast that it's practically fluttering. Fear is sickening and he tries to avoid feeling that awful sensation.

He takes his eyes of the road to glance at Isabella, resting peacefully, though he supposed it was more like a forced rest and she would be angry at him when she finally woke. He brushed aside her hair so he could properly see her face and his fingers lingered on her soft cheek. Her face was peaceful with sleep and relaxation, a small smile flickering on the edges of her mouth. He wished to kiss her, to inhale her breath and taste her happiness but he couldn't risk stopping the truck even more even the mere moments it would take to brush his mouth against hers. A smile flitted across his mouth when he thought of the feelings Isabella invoked. The blood-pounding, jolting electricity of lust hurtling through his veins every time he touched her be it with an innocent brush of his hand across bare skin or with his mouth slanted against hers. The warmth in his chest and his stuttering heart when she glanced at him with a small smile twitching across her mouth and when she laughed it was like God's voice in his ear. When she stared at him with heavily lidded eyes and pupils blown, the black taking over the slate grey as her pulse fluttered wildly beneath the thin skin of her wrist, her neck, her breast, a high flush to her skin and impossible, searing heat it made him oh so tempted. He may be an angel but inside the vessel, the human body that was so very confusing at times he felt like a horny teenage boy. The emotions that were his own but the physical reaction was foreign and overwhelmed him at times, clouding his mind and threading delicate silk and lace in the places between his soul and the body, tying them together in tight knots and making him so close to human. He wonders how long it will be until body and soul blend seamlessly together and if it will occur when they break the Holy Seal that disconnects Isabella's true soul and her borrowed body. He wonders if sex is really as fun as human's claim it is.

"Castiel, do I sense impure thoughts?" the purring, dark voice of Uriel would have startled him but the angel had no idea was subtlety was. Castiel glanced into the rearview mirror and spotted the other angel seated in the backseat. Uriel met his gaze without flinching away.

"Perhaps." Castiel said stiffly. Uriel merely laughed. "Were you able to track Lilith after I left?" he asked, trying to draw the conversation away from him. Uriel's face twisted angrily and clenched his hands compulsively.

"No, the _Hell Spawn_ gave me the slip. And how is dear, precious Isabella?" Castiel's eyes darted towards his slumbering companion.

"Fine. Exhausted but that is to be expected." Uriel's eyes darted towards her and he inhaled deeply.

"I smell burnt, human flesh. What did you do?"

"Forged a connection between us." Uriel made a small noise in his throat.

"Interesting, I would think that with the lust laden thoughts you were having a moment ago you would have just _rutted _with her like an animal." Castiel flinched at Uriel's coarse words, though he really should have been used to them by now.

"It is a delicate matter and I will wait until it is necessary or until she is ready." Castiel said, barely able to control the anger in his voice.

"I see… and what does the Lord think of this plan of action."

"If Father protested to it he would have voiced his concerns." In other words if their Father didn't like what he was seeing he would have hauled Castiel out of the vessel by his ear and commanded him to get the deed done. And then he probably would hand him a pack of condoms. The Lord had such a strange sense of humor and such a strong fatherly instinct, though he should since he had millions of children, both angel and human, and a few who had lost their way.

"_Lost their way?_" Uriel answers his unspoken thoughts. The angel in the big, burly, black man cocks a disbelieving eyebrow. "Perhaps a more apt description would be the children who fled like _cowards _during the first war." Castiel wrinkled his nose and attempted to steer the conversation back to the mini-battle that had occurred only hours before.

"What happened to the demon's… hosts?" Host was the best word he could come up with though it was a rather bad description of the demonic tendency to overtake bodies and use them up until there was nothing left.

"The man was a little… shell-shocked. But he was fine for the most part. I wiped his memories. Apparently the demon had only been with him for a couple of days."

"And the girl?" Castiel watched Uriel carefully through the mirror. Uriel turned his eyes to his hands and he shook with barely contained emotion. His face was attempting the twist itself back into a stoic expression but he clearly failed. Grief, sadness, and anger twisted up in a melancholy expression. Uriel may not have liked the Winchester's very much but he did love children, saw them as the future hope of the human race, the redeeming quality of being human.

"She died." Uriel growled out. "Lilith… Lilith has a sick sense of humor; she had jumped out of a fifth story window hours before." Castiel sighed.

"Perhaps it is better then that the child died. Lilith could have inhabited the child for weeks or months; there is no telling what atrocities she witnessed. Now she is at peace with Father." The words were normally reassuring but they just soured his stomach. Uriel met his eyes through the mirror, his expression grim and solemn.

"Do you really believe that, Castiel?" he asked and then with a flutter of wings Uriel was gone. Castiel knew that deep inside, in the place where soul met body that he didn't really believe that death was the better choice, it was still a life stolen not matter what. They definitely needed to take Lilith down before things got much worse. He tightened his hands on the steering wheel and eased the truck into a faster pace.

* * *

They were pulling up to Bobby's house when Isabella jolted from her restful sleep. She blinked around for a moment before turning to Castiel.

"You jerk! I can't believe you used your angel-fu on me again!"

"Would you rather you suffer through pain?" he asked.

"Well no but-."

"Then the matter is settled." He said before opening the door of her truck and leaving her alone in the car. She scrambled after him, wincing with each movement of her sore right shoulder. The front door of the large house was flung open and Eve launched herself at Isabella.

"I was so scared!" Eve whispered into her best friend's ear.

"I know me too…" Isabella murmured back.

"Let's get you inside and you can tell us what happened." Eve said and Isabella nodded.

Inside the rambling house the first thing Isabella noticed was the mass amounts of books. They were simply everywhere in piles and piles of leather and paper. The second thing Isabella noticed was the trucker-capped, bearded, beady-eyed man talking to Dean. There was an awkward moment where they sized each other up before he stepped forward, holding his hand out to her.

"Bobby Singer, you must be Isabella." His grip was tight and assured.

"That would be me." She said blandly. He looked her up and down again and she raised an eyebrow, slightly annoyed by his manner.

"You sure you're an angel?" he asked bluntly. Isabella blinked up at him and frowned.

"Well that's what Castiel says and I'm pretty sure that angels aren't supposed to lie." She said with a cocked eyebrow. Bobby leaned sideways to look past her, staring with a frown at Castiel.

"He ain't gonna knock me out again, is he?" He asked Dean.

"Uh… no… not as far as I know." Dean hedged.

"Hmph." Bobby snorted and folded his arms across his chest.

"I apologize for that action but I needed to speak to Dean alone." Castiel said.

"Sure. Alone." Bobby said bitterly. "Now get all of your asses inside, its cold out and you idjits are lettin' out all the warm air." Everyone moved further into the house and Eve closed the door gently. "Now is someone gonna explain how the whole mess started?" He asked, eyeing Castiel, looking like he might be silently blaming the angel.

The bizarre tale tumbles from her mouth quickly and by the end of it Bobby has a glass of whiskey in his hand, nodding silently and frowning.

"I'll look through some books; see if I can't find something to hide you from demon sight. In the meantime all the protection I have on this place should shield you pretty well but you're going to have to hightail it outta here eventually." She exchanges a quick glance with Castiel who nods. Apparently whatever protection Bobby has on this place is enough for him. She shifts uncomfortably for a moment, the mark on her arm is still aching and burning and the fabric of her scrub top doesn't help. It sends fiery needles of pain through her entire shoulder each time the rough fabric brushes against the mark. She would think it would be numb by now but its not.

"You okay? Did that bitch get in a lucky shot?" Dean asks when he notices her pinched expression. She blinks at him and sighs while shedding her jacket. "Why the hell didn't you say anything?" Dean asks angrily as he stands and strides over to her.

"Lilith didn't get in a lucky shot." She mumbled and pushed up her shirtsleeve. She hadn't dared to take a peak at the mark, afraid that it would be worse then what she imagined it to be. The mark was like Dean's in every respect, except the skin was an angry shade of red and it was shinier. The surface of the burned skin was bubbled, showing that it was recent mark.

"_Whoa_! That looks like it hurts!" Sam said in awe. "How the hell did that happen?"

"Jeez Cas! That's some angel-hickey!" Dean said jokingly as he slathered her arm in burn ointment. Thankfully it managed to cool the burning sensation but it also had a nasty scent that made her crinkle her nose.

"I'm going to get another bottle." Bobby said and Eve followed him like a lost puppy.

* * *

In the end it was decided that it was best that Castiel and Isabella stayed in the panic room at night. Dean and Sam got the couch and the floor and Eve happily pranced off to the only open guestroom, leaving a grumbling Dean staring after her. Bobby cleared out of the empty bottles and tossed them into his recycling bin, the world might be going to hell (_literally_) but that didn't mean Bobby would pollute it in the mean time. This was one sticky mess they were entangled in. He had to wonder if any other hunters had encountered angels since Dean's resurrection, he hadn't thought to ask around but now that it was very clear that there were in the middle of a Holy War he figured he needed to know just how many hunters knew exactly what was going on. It was late though and though hunters kept odd hour it just wasn't polite to call in the middle of the night. He thought longingly for John, Caleb, and Pastor Jim. Especially Jim, they could use a priest right about now. They could use Caleb and his paranoia, his quick mind and feral anger that fueled him into finishing even the most difficult job. They could really use John and his _fucking _never ending obsession. Unfortunately they only had a changed Sam, a broken Dean, an ex-angel, the Eve, and an angel, okay well more like a shit ton of angels but that was neither here nor there.

Bobby slipped past Sam and Dean in the living room, Sam snoring loud enough to wake the dead (and Bobby really hoped the boy couldn't do that) and Dean mumbling in his sleep, looking restless with a sheen of sweat on his face and a frown. Bobby frowned back at him and sighed. Dean needed help, he was very clearly still affected by his time in hell, of course it wasn't like he could walk up to a therapist and spill everything. For now reckless drinking and focusing on the task ahead of him would have to do. Like father like son, Bobby thought as he remembered the first time he had met John. He shook his head at his grim thoughts and slipped outside.

He had a glass of whiskey in one hand and a cigar in another. It was a long night and he knew that the nights would only get longer. Right now he had to ruminate on the information and figure out what books to pull out of his collection of pour over. He thought he might have an old Germanic text that might help, then again one of his ancient Hebrew texts would have a lot of information, or perhaps a Babylonian, fuck he hated translating Babylonian. He lit his cigar and thought about contacts he should call. Ellen for sure, then there was Greg in Idaho, and maybe it was high time to figure out where the _Colt _had gone.

"I can find it." He started and reached for the consecrated knife he kept tucked on his person at all times. It was Castiel who stood there placidly. The angel wore a pair of red plaid pajama pants and a grey t-shirt, and it was disconcerting to see the angel dressed in rumpled, sleep clothing. He didn't look like he had been sleeping but he had a certain mussed look to him. Ah, young (okay more like old) love.

"Find what?" Bobby asked.

"The _Colt_. I can ask one of the sentries or scouts, it may take awhile to get certain… permission though." The angel spoke slowly and deliberately as if he were thinking his words thoroughly before speaking.

"That would be great. How did you-?"

"Sometimes I can glean surface thoughts, only when I'm weary and having trouble containing myself to this body."

"Ah. That explains a lot."

"I can also speak, read, write and understand Babylonian." Castiel said with a wry grin that took Bobby aback for a moment.

"Well then I guess you are more useful then Dean makes you out to be." Castiel tilted his head and frowned.

"Dean has very little faith. It is troublesome at times… he does not understand the Master Plan."

"And what is the Master Plan?" Bobby asked casually. Castiel gave another wry grin.

"That is something that I cannot tell you Robert Singer but if there are another other questions you have I am willing to answer them, if they are in reason of course. For now Isabella is calling me and there is much to do tomorrow." The angel departed just as silently as he came and he watched through the windows as Castiel met Isabella in the middle of the living room. The angel cradled her against him gently and dipped his head, their lips meeting gently and they parted. Isabella took Castiel's hand and she led him back into the kitchen where the basement door was located. It made Bobby's heart ache for his long-dead wife.

* * *

Isabella curled closer to Castiel and sighed happily. The cot was small, cramped and uncomfortable with two people in it, but at least she got to pressed as close to Castiel as she could get without getting naked. She pressed her lips to his collarbone and slipped out of the tiny cot.

"Mmm… where are you going?" Castiel asked in sleep roughened voice. He looked like he just wanted to continue sleeping.

"I am going to go eat some breakfast." She replied and ran her fingers through his hair. She dropped a kiss on his forehead. "You are going to stay here and get more sleep." He sat up and made to get out of the cot but she shoved him back down.

"I must come with you and-."

"No you _must _get more sleep. I'll be fine with all the protections around the property and besides we have three seasoned hunters and Eve to protect me. Go back to bed." He pouted for a moment, an uncharacteristic move for the normally stoic angel before slumping back into the cot. Nervously she licked her lips, drinking in the sight of him, flawless pale skin, ink dark hair, and sleep heavy blue eyes that stared back at her. She mentally smacked herself and turned away, pulling on her robe.

"Uriel visited me last night." She stiffened and turned back to Castiel.

"What? When?" It gave her creepy crawlies to think about the intimidating angel watching her while she slept.

"In the car while you were resting." She frowned.

"_And_?"

"And he tried to track Lilith but she is very… slippery. He couldn't keep on her trail."

"So we have no idea where Hell Bitch is?"

"No."

"Great." She muttered before going to the door, she turned partially and eyed him again. "Has… has Father spoken to you?" she finally asked. He turned startled blue eyes to hers and frowned.

"No. But Father is often silent unless he is displeased. His silence is his approval." She nodded.

"I… I wish I could remember him. I feel like I should miss him and view him more as a Father and not just a Creator." She looked down at her hands and picked at the hangnail.

"Isabella, look at me." She turned her eyes to him as he stared at her intently. "I can assure that he misses you as much as you miss him and someday you will be able to speak to him as you used to."

"I know." She whispered and left the solid iron prison.

In the kitchen Eve is making breakfast and speaking rapidly as Bobby sits at the rickety table in there.

"Let me get this straight, you are _the _Eve from Genesis?" Bobby said with a disbelieving look on his face.

"That's what I said." Eve said in a clipped tone. "Believe it or not but it still stands that I have been around since the beginning of the Earth, there's a lot of great, terrible, and beautiful knowledge locked away in this little brain of mine." Her smile was fixed and brittle. Bobby had the decency to look ashamed for a moment.

"So how long are you kids plannin' on stayin'?" he asked and Isabella shook her head.

"No clue, until Castiel thinks we should leave, I suppose." Bobby nodded and turned his eyes to the open door to the basement.

"Where is he anyway?" he asked. Isabella flushed slightly, wondering what Bobby was thinking.

"Sleeping, have you found anything useful in any of the books?" she finally asked.

"Haven't looked through them yet." He admitted. "Cas was going to help me with some ancient Babylonian. I figure I would like to get some breakfast in my stomach before I tackle those piles and try to figure out where some of the older texts are." Isabella cast a dubious glance at the disorganized stacks of books in the parlor and sighed.

"I don't suppose you have any kind of system to figure out which books are where, do you?" Bobby looked abashed for a moment.

"No. I do not."

"Do you have a difficult time navigating through the stacks and hunting down the right text often?"

"Yes." Bobby admitted grudgingly. Isabella rolled her eyes.

"You men, all so disorganized. How about as payments for letting us stay here I will organize your books, Eve will cook the meals, Castiel will help you with the translation of some of the books and tell you about life as an angel and Sam and Dean will build you some nice bookshelves."

"Wait… what am I doing? I didn't volunteer for this shit!" Dean said indignantly as he strolled into the kitchen, fully dressed and looking grouchy. Isabella turned and glared at him.

"Dean!" she admonished as Eve laughed from her position by the stove where she was frying up some bacon. "It's the least you could do!"

"What about some hunts?" he asked.

"Well if you find a hunt you can run along and go play with the evil monsters and spirits." Eve said with her hands on her hips.

"_Bwah_? Alone?!" Dean said looking surprised.

"Well you are like, what twenty-nine; I think you can handle hunting alone." Isabella pointed out.

"But-."

"This discussion is closed. Why don't you wake up Sam now?" Eve said stiffly. Dean stamped his foot like a child throwing a tantrum and stalked off to the where Sam was sprawled out on the couch.

"I've never seen him cowed so fast…" Bobby remarked. "Although John managed to subdue him fairly well whenever Dean threw a tantrum… that was rare if ever."

* * *

Eve wakes gasping for air in the silent room. For a moment she forgets where she is and she blindly flails against invisible attackers, remnants from her nightmare vision. Then it all comes back to her in a jarring recollection of the night's events. She slumps back to into the soft mattress and sighs. The day before had been like any other since the Winchester's had stomped into their life and Castiel had swept Isabella off her feet. She had gotten up, gone to her last day at work and come home to a bitching but still very attractive Dean. Castiel had just been returning from his visit to Isabella, a self-satisfied smile on his face, light and happy. She could feel his emotions radiating off of him in heated waves of barely satiated lust, tender love, and buoyant happiness. Being around Castiel made her dizzy at times, angel emotions were so intricate and far reaching. Being around Dean made her dizzy at times with uncontained desire. Dean was so complex and yet so simple at times. His emotions conflicting at times and she felt his edginess and pain and it fucking hurt. But other times he was so shuttered, his walls up and she couldn't even feel the barest flicker of his raging emotions. Dean Winchester was unlike any other man she had ever known, and she had known many in her years plodding the earth's dirt.

Dean walked around with a sarcastic attitude, confident and cocky and self-assured but the Dean inside of him, the real Dean was broken and in pain and terrified someone would see through his mask. She didn't know if Sam was aware of how much torment Dean was in constantly. She didn't know if Castiel, who was so ridiculously consumed by Isabella, was aware of Dean's self-doubts and anguish. All she knew was that she drowned beneath the crushing weight of his emotions sometimes. She just wanted to reach out to him, out to his soul and sooth away the hurt but she was scared. Dean was confusing and unknown and it was too terrifying to have the thoughts of rejection. Adam's rejection, though centuries after the fact, was still too fresh in her mind.

She shook away from those thoughts and returned to her original ones, realizing that her thought train had derailed again…

_They had been lounging in the living room, Sam tooling around on his laptop, Dean fidgeting as he watched the TV with glazed eyes (mind obviously a million miles away, buried beneath the soil of the earth), Eve avidly watching **Gossip Girl**, her guilty pleasure, and Castiel watching it with a half-confused and half-disgusted look._

_"What a bitch!" Eve declared and then nudged the angel. "Right? Am I right?" she asked. Castiel nodded vaguely and then sat straight up, panic breaking across his face as he furrowed his brow._

_"Isabella's in trouble. Lilith has found her." He declared. "Get everyone's things together quickly, no doubt she had sent a few minions here for the rest of us. I will send help." The he had disappeared, right in front of her, and she could hear the vague, distant rustling of wings._

_They gathered their remaining bags quickly. Thankfully Eve had the foresight to get everyone to pack and load most of the bags earlier so they would be able to leave in the morning. She was grabbing a couple of pictures that she wanted to take when the door burst open. Everyone froze. The three demons stared at the three humans and Eve felt her chest tighten in panic, before she remembered that she was technically a weapon. Sam and Dean went at the low-level demons. Sam with what they called 'Ruby's Knife' (though she had no idea who the fuck this Ruby was) and Dean with a knife Castiel had blessed. The third demon, a fairly dainty woman with long, brown hair, came after Eve, a twisted smile on her face. Eve smiled back and cocked her head in a disarming manner._

_"Looks like your boys are too busy to help. To bad… because I'm going to get a reputation for killing you and dragging your soul to hell!" the woman said gleefully before she reached out, probably going to pin Eve against the wall. Eve lifted an eyebrow while the demon's eyes went wide._

_"Yeah your little mental powers don't have a big effect on me. It's like a fly landing on my skin, a very annoying, and soon a very dead fly." She said flippantly as she reached mentally. The demon gasped suddenly and coughed, sending blood to the floor. Her eyes flickered between black and brown as she wheezed and coughed, more blood pouring out of her mouth._

_"What are you doing to me?" she managed to get out between wet sounding splutters._

_"Oh that? I'm drawing all of the blood out of you body, breaking and crushing all the blood vessels and capillaries so you bleed to death. Of course this is just the tortuous part because you don't die." Eve said in a harsh voice. She stepped forward and stood over the demon before crouching above it. Her power was attempting to bleed the demon out. However it looked like the demon wasn't budging. "Ask for forgiveness." She snarled out._

_"Never…"_

_"Ask!" She had touched the demons mind briefly before she began to bleed her. She had seen the torture the demon put the bodies true host through, seen the torture she had put others through. This was a crime punishable by death._

_"No!"_

_"Beg for your life, scum! Beg like they all begged you!" she growled gutturally. Forgiveness was a key part of being a Christian, but fuck it; she just couldn't bring herself to forgive the demon… yet._

_"Please…" the demon said weakly, eyes wide with terror._

_"Speak louder!"_

_"Please… please… forgive me." The demon wheezed out. Eve leaned closer to the demon and pressed her hand against the woman's cheek. The body of the person the demon was possessing was dead, which was why this was turning out to be a torture for the demon._

_"You are forgiven." She whispered and then burned the demon out. A bright light was emitted and the woman, a child really in the end, fell limp. She stood up and wiped her bloodied hands on her jeans, face a mask of stone as Sam and Dean stared at her in horror._

_"What was that?" Dean asks in a harsh voice._

_"That was just one of many things I can do… some of them are a little terrifying… things I got after I ate the apple." She explained as she plucked the picture she wanted from a book shelf. There was a faint rustling and she turned to see a tall woman standing there. She was fearsome looking with long pale blonde hair and a strong body. She was a handsome woman, not quite beautiful with her hawk like features and dispassionate stare but still she was a sight. The woman cocked her head and stared at the body._

_"There is more coming." She said in a calm voice before she turned impossibly green eyes to Eve's. "Hello Eve. It's been quite some time." Eve scrutinized her for a moment._

_"Zophiel." She said bluntly. "I almost didn't recognize you."_

_"Has it really been that long?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Poor girl. Did you have to do that to her?"_

_"I didn't want to." Eve said frankly._

_"You torture her before she obliterated her, was that really necessary?" the angel asked._

_"No." Eve snarled. "But it felt damn good." Zophiel nodded and turned to the door._

_"We leave now." She said and led them through the hallway and down the stairs._

_The angel's back was rigid as she walked and Eve noted that the tense set of her shoulders was increasing with every step towards the parking lot. Finally they stepped into the cold, fall night. The dim parking lot lights did nothing to assuage Eve's fear. She tensed with the angel and noted several flickering shadows, they were surrounded._

_"How many?" she whispered to Zophiel. The angel had remained irritatingly calm even as Eve felt her own heart pick up pace._

_"Ten. Four there in the trees, two by the car, and another four in the shadows." Eve strained her eyes for a moment before lifted the 'dimmer' on her eyes. Suddenly the world turned vivid, everything bursting into Technicolor. Every aura burned brightly around her, from the cool blue of the Impala to the golden white static of the angel in its vessel. The demons stood stark in her sight, they were frighteningly hideous. Their faces were twisted with evil, skin rotting away beneath the human veneer. Like with Zophiel she saw them in double, the human mask and the rotting, twisted true visage of the demon beneath; vicious and hungry, sharp teeth and black eyes. Zophiel on the other hand shone with beauty, her face serene and almost painful to look at in its terrible beauty. Her stomach dropped out and she glanced towards Sam and Dean, wondering what she would see with her enhanced vision. They looked the same at first but she quickly picked up the differences they had in their auras. There was red and black threading through Sam's very human green aura and Dean's aura was shot with silver, gold, and white which stood out harshly against his blue green aura. One brother was touched by a demon and one was touched by an angel. She shook off her pointless musings and reached out mentally towards the closet demon, the one with the blackest aura and squeezed._

_It screamed, loudly. The agonized wails grew wet before it was just gurgling in a manner of moments. However in that time its comrades had slinked from their hiding places, attacking all at once. Eve reached out mentally once more, this time freezing the demon in place and raised her hand to rest against its face, there was a bright flash and then it was no more. She felled two more demons before Zophiel killed the last one. The four of them stood panting as they gazed around at the bodies strewn about the parking lot._

_"Go. Quickly. I will take care of the bodies." Zophiel said bluntly and they sprinted towards the car. As they drove past her she shouted to them, "God be with you on your journey!"_

It had been exhilarating and terrifying but Eve was grateful it was over. Up until she had the vague nightmare vision it had been a good night. She glanced at her watch and realized that it wasn't even close to sunrise. She got up and slipped her robe on before sneaking downstairs. She glanced at Dean and Sam, the latter was sleeping peacefully while the former was tossing and turning. His aura screamed pain and she gazed at him for a long moment before making her decision.

Carefully she stepped towards to him, trying to keep her feet from hitting any points in the wood where it would protest her weight. She reached out with shaking fingers, stopping just millimeters away from his cheek. She took a deep breath and let her fingers rest on his cheek, and then she was sucked into his dream. For one brief moment she saw hell, flashing lights, and the world soaked in red and screams ringing in her ears. She gasped and jerked backwards. This was what Dean had been hiding.

"_Oh_…" she whimpered out as she sat back, gazing at the tortured expression on Dean's face. She took a deep breath and reached out again, fingers light against his cheek and she pushed radiant, happy thoughts into his mind, she forced his damaged psyche to dredge up the good memories before pulling away.

"Sleep peacefully." She murmured before standing and unsteadily making her way back to her room, suddenly heavy with exhaustion. She collapsed to the bed and fell into a blissfully empty sleep.

* * *

A/N: So I finally got around to showing more then one point of view in a chapter, we get Castiel's, Bobby's, Isabella's and Eve's! Everyone tell me what you think about Castiel and Bobby's point of view as it would be nice to know if anything was too out of character. School is going well and at the same time kind of lamely… except about a week ago I got the stomach flu and spent twelve hours sitting in front of my toilet trying to get some sleep in between the hurling… then I ended up in the hospital for dehydration… lameness aside I'm extremely proud of myself of getting this chapter out! I've got a question though… anyone seen _The Secret Life of the American Teenager_? I watched a few episodes and couldn't stop laughing, even at the 'serious' parts. It's just too friggin' ridiculous for words. Maybe it was just my high school experience but none of that shit happened at my school… although three girls I knew in high school had babies shortly after, like a year at most… whatever. I just can't believe the trite shit they put on television, I know it's supposed to be a serious show but it's not realistic at all, at least in my experience. Sorry if anyone actually likes it… anyway… I'd like to thank Elric2007, paddyfoot92, shadow lupus, and tigggerkim89 for adding 'Absolution' to your favorites. I'd also like to thank paddyfoot92, sadie e a, and shadow lupus for adding 'Absolution' to your alerts! And all of you that checked this out.

Review Responses:

Ash: Thank you very much! Sorry you were late for work but if you think it was worth it then awesome! Lol… I've been late so many times for the same reason… its like, "Sorry I'm late but I was reading really awesome fanfiction! I mean… I got a flat tire? Yeah! A flat tire!"

AnnabelleLee: Thanks for that image of Castiel wearing a ninja outfit! Now I totally have to write a crack fic of him doing that… I can see it now the demons would totally be like, "WTF Mate?" and Uriel would just stare at him in disdain and mutter about damn mud monkey ninja movies… The way I see it Lilith is totally pissed that God didn't back her up with the idea that her and Adam were equals and that's why she's bringing hell to earth… Although in Christianity Lilith is mentioned once in Bible but in Judaism she's totally in it as Adam's first wife… hmmm… anyway I will totally use the Incubus/Succubus idea. Its weird they haven't addressed but I guess Kripke was thinking "Sirens? Succubus? Same thing, right?" Which they aren't… although Succubus's were supposedly created by Lilith. Lmao… I gagged when I saw the sex scene between Ruby and Sam but I'm forcing myself to get used to the idea of them together since I actually cannot think of a better chick for him, none of the damsels of the week have really suited him and with the exception of… yeah I can't think of anyone … I miss blonde Ruby…

LostPhan: Oh Dean indeed! I have to admit that if I saw Castiel standing there in normal people clothing I would totally jump him… I would drag him back to my car and have my naughty, wicked way with him… cough. Twilight is evil and totally rip-off of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but lame. There are some amazing parallels if you look closely enough. I could totally write a paper about it and rant about it for hours. I admit I have read all of the books and wasted my money completely and did like them for pure entertainment value and fodder for my mocking but… they're shit. No person in their right mind would go "Oooh vampire! Let me love you!" They'd (pardon my American) fucking run screaming the other direction! Plus sparkly vampires? Give me a break! Don't even get me started about Robert Whatever His Last Name Is, I don't see the attraction, as Cedric in the Goblet of Fire he was smoking hot, now he just looks like a drunk, homeless dude, he's a total creeper. Anyway… Lilith… yeah I had to have her come in some time and now seemed like the perfect time! She creeps me out… creepy blonde children… like the children of the corn or something… and when I was writing that scene the whole construction of it was entirely based on that line, "I have big, mean dogs that will rip you apart." Before I had even had the idea of that scene I had the line running through my head. Mostly because I was giving a tour of the kennel I work at and I asked the guy what kind of dogs he had and he said, "I have a couple of Miniature Pinschers that are mean little shits, if they were bigger they would rip you apart." And I totally thought of Lilith with her Hellhounds. Speaking of Hellhounds… I basically took every single dog that I ever had to deal with that was mean and vicious and slapped 'em together in one dog. Basically Rotties and Shepards… however the South African Mastiff I do know is very sweet dog, just huge and dumb. Heh… Castiel's wings… I was going to have them be black but I was like, "he's an angel they should be pretty!" I hope Kripke actually shows them but I doubt Supernatural has a big enough special effects budget for that… Symbolic Logic is basically the structure of arguments and the types… it's weird because it's kind of philosophy but kind of math… I don't even understand half the crap I'm reading for that class. I have to agree with you about the fact that there's no Uriel or Castiel, too much of a good thing makes it lame. Besides its build of the squee anticipation of seeing them again. It's totally cool that you made me laugh at work, everyone already thinks I'm a little nuts and I already laugh at random thoughts in my head… lmao! My coworkers are convinced I'm sleeping with my ex because he sends text messages that say, "Hey Beautiful, how are you today?" Even though I don't want to speak to him anymore. Anyway! I am so friggin' jealous of you right now! I wanna meet Misha and Jared! You should totally call Jared the Jolly Green Giant! And you should totally gush to Misha about yours truly… heh. Yeah right… I wanted to go to the one hosted here in Chicago (I forgot what it's called…) but I have no money… so oh well. I totally want to see the picture if you get it!... I'm hoping the long-lost Winchester is something like the Trickster screwing with them… because if not I'll find Kripke… and then they won't even be able to find the pieces of him. Aww… I don't want Bobby to kick the bucket! He's too awesome… the line of phones in the last episode with FBI and CIA. Too cool for words! By the way did you enjoy Misha's amazing pretzelness in Nip/Tuck? I know I did! I was watching it on my mom's DVR and my sister came is because I was laughing so hard I almost fell off the bed. She wanted to know why I was laughing so I rewound it and showed it to her. She was like, "Isn't that guy an angel on that show you like?" I totally love how candid he was about it, like, "I can totally do this naughty thing to myself, so what? Fix it!!!" My jaw dropped when he was showing them how he does it. What the hell is with Misha and having all of these cool talents like being bendy, and building his own house, and being a White House Intern and going to freakin' Tibet! (Or Wherever) He's like a Jack of all Trades or something… which only makes me go all swoozy for him even more… damn him and his marriedness and being like 15 years older then me… I have an important question for you though and all other readers if they've gotten this far! During this chapter Bobby was thinking about John and so I started thinking about John and I thought, "So they bring Dean back as a warrior for heaven but I wonder if they brought anyone else back? Would they bring John back? Or Mary? I'm sure the whole Winchester clan could rock this apocalypse and totally take down Lilith." And then my mind went places that included God getting the angels to resurrect John (and?) Mary and being like, "I totally thought you could use the help… plus with parents around Sam might not go Dark Side!" So I'm wondering if that's even a good idea to bring in the dead Winchester's… is it bankable? Could I totally rock it and get away with it? Or is it too typical and predictable? I dunno… so opinion please? I just realized that I totally babbled on for like a page and half in word... oops?


	6. Smile Lines

Title: Absolution

Author: TigerTiger02

Chapter Title: Smile Lines

Spoilers: pretty much if you haven't seen any season four you probably shouldn't be reading this since Castiel is featured heavily. Pre-"I Know What You Did Last Summer"…. And considering this has been Kripke'd (although I've been working on it for a good month) I think you all know where this is heading…

Summary: Castiel's retrieves Sam and Dean for a mission from God. Guess they didn't expect it to be an Atomic-Bomb Girl. Shameless Castiel/OC. Ignoring "Its the Great Pumpkin Sam Winchester"

Disclaimer: not mine, if it was I would totally take Castiel home as pet, he's just so darn cute!

Dedication: to Nikki, who urged me to post this even though I was sorely tempted not.

_Met my match today  
Felt the blood rushing and mingling  
A curious and enigmatic thing  
Spiders in my dreams  
Synchronicity weaves like a web  
When you were meant to be a meal  
I want you bad!  
I want you bad!  
I understand why they say  
high school never ends  
Never act my age  
You can tell by the lines in my smile  
That I have been around for awhile  
So, insecurities  
Are about as useful as trying  
To put the pin back in the grenade_

"Smile Lines"- Incubus

Isabella smirked as she watched Bobby take out a piece of notebook paper filled with tiny, cramped handwriting. Across from him Castiel was nursing a cup of tea, staring at Bobby with bizarre intensity that made her wonder if angels swung both ways, she sure hoped not. If Castiel suddenly dumped her for Bobby she would just have to kill both of them, slowly and painfully.

"Right well, first things first, how long have you been alive?" Bobby paused for a moment as Castiel just stared at him. "I mean how long have you _existed_." Bobby quickly amended and Castiel gave a small smile.

"Shortly after the world was formed. I believe you humans have calculated it to be around four and a half billion years. Though the Lord didn't start his creation of humans for a quite some time."

"So he created dinosaurs?" Bobby asked.

"Correct, it was… a failed experiment, he is much happier with his creation of you."

"So in a way science is correct, that there has been evolution."

"In a way… but let us not to get into this debate, you have other questions I'm sure." Bobby nodded and checked something off of his list. Isabella turned her attention away from them for a moment, shifted to gaze out the window where Sam and Dean were arguing over a pile of wood intended for the bookcases. Dean was gesturing wildly, pointing at the slates of wood before miming a hammering motion. Sam on the other hand had his arms cross across his chest and he was wearing Bitch-Face number twenty-nine. He opened his mouth, looking indigent and she could imagine that he was saying something along the lines of, "_Dean!_ I know what I'm doing, _okay_?" before he mimed a drilling motion. At least she assumed it was a drilling motion. She suppressed a smile and glanced over in the kitchen where Eve was frosting some cupcakes, using a tube of icing to draw a Devil's Trap over them. Ever since Dean had shown it to her she had been practicing it, mostly on food but on occasion in other mediums. She turned back to the conversation taking place, ignoring the piles of books around in favor of learning more about the angel and the world she had living in before.

"How long has Isabella existed? And what other forms has she taken during her time of… exile?" The question startled her for a moment and she leaned forward, paying avid attention as Castiel thought heavily on his next words.

"Since the very beginning of time itself… she is very… old. As for the forms she has taken many in her… exile. Some have been poor, some have been sickly, some have been rich, some have been beautiful, some ugly. Some average, some famous… I believe one of her more famous forms was Boudicca of the Iceni, there are others but perhaps that is for another times."

"Of course. What sort of powers do you guys have?" Isabella's cell phone rings and she frowns down at it. It's her mother.

She steps out the back door and lights up one of the last cigarettes she has.

"Hello?"

"Izzie? Oh my god! Izzie!" her mother sounds hysterical.

"Mom? What's wrong?" She wonders why her mother was acting this way, her heart nearly stops in her chest when she realizes that maybe Lilith is there holding a metaphorical gun to her mother's head.

"I have been trying to get a hold of you for days and when someone finally picked up the phone at your apartment it was the police! They said that it looked like there had been some kind of struggle and they had been called because neighbors heard some odd noises coming from your apartment! _Isabella_! I demand you tell me what happened this instance!" Shit. She had completely forgotten to inform her mother that she would be going away for an extended period of time and of course her apartment looked like that, Eve had told her about the three demons that had busted open the door and attacked.

"Mom I'm _fine_." She said in a tired voice. "This is just a big misunderstanding. Do you remember Eve's ex-boyfriend James? Well he got into a car accident and he doesn't have any family left so Eve and I left to take care of him on the West Coast. We left in a big hurry and we must have knocked over some things while we were trying to get everything together quickly." The lie sounds like a lie, hollow and ringing in her ears but surprisingly her mother doesn't question it.

"Oh thank god, I thought that something terrible had happened. Where are you girls now?"

"In South Dakota."

"Well do you think you'll be able to make it back in two weeks for Thanksgiving?"

"I don't know Mom, James is pretty bad off…"

"Well just try, dear. It's been awhile since I've had all of you children attend Thanksgiving at the same time."

"Of course Mom." A hard, salty ball of tears lodges in her throat. She is speaking to someone who loves her for her human part and isn't invested in her safety. Her mother doesn't care if she saves the world; she cares if she comes to Thanksgiving. It's hard not to cry and break down like a child. "I have to go Mom; I'll try to be there. I love you."

"I love you too, sweetie." She swallows the threatening tears and stubbornly blinks before stubbing out her cigarette and going inside.

Inside Castiel is waiting for her, Bobby's Question and Answer session having been put off for the moment.

"It was your mother." It should be a question but it comes out a statement.

"Yes."

"You miss her."

"Yes."

"You worry for her."

"Of course I do!" she snaps out. "What if that Hell Bitch goes after her to get to me?" she continues in a soft voice. Castiel reaches out and brushes the back of his hand against his cheek, eyes staring steadily into hers.

"There is an angel named Haniel currently watching over your entire family. If he senses any danger he will call on another angel to help him."

"Are you sure?" she whispers.

"Positive. We will make time two weeks from now to visit her." At first she thought that Castiel might refuse, as it might put her in danger but instead he surprises her. She flings her arms around him in a sudden burst of emotion and presses herself tightly to him.

"Thank you." She whispers in his ear before pulling back and blushing. He drops a kiss onto her forehead and strolls back over to Bobby, sitting down gracefully and gesturing for the older man to continue.

* * *

Dean wishes he was inside, not because it's too hot or too cold outdoors, and not because he doesn't want to build Bobby the bookcases with Sam (although Sam has gone through most of his _bitchiest _Bitch-Faces) but because he wants to observe Eve. Two nights ago Dean had been in the clutches of hell again, dreaming (he wonders for a moment what the word for having a nightmare is and decides that he's inventing one, Nightmaring) of hell again and the atrocities that he had committed there. Not that anyone knows about those atrocities, except maybe Castiel but the angel hasn't said anything to him about it and Dean doesn't want to bring it up and Sam just thinks that hell was bad because it was… well _hell_. He doesn't want to see the look Sam will give him if (or when because Dean will eventually crack) Dean tells him. Horror, pity, disgust, anger… it's the anger that he's most afraid of because anger normally translates into rejection. He couldn't stand Sam, Sammy his baby brother the brother that he had been charged with protecting, look at him like he was some kind of monster. Although it's true, Dean was some kind of monster. Dean was the worst kind of monster, he was just like all the murderers and pedophiles and rapists in the world. He got off on torturing the poor, damned souls that inhabited hell with him. Dean shook his head and tried to trace why he was thinking about hell.

Right the _Nightmaring_. Dean had been nightmaring about hell as usual when something cool and soft had touched him. It was like he had been in a fire and someone had plucked him out and put him in a big tank of water, and then dried him off with the softest towel imaginable. He thinks on his little analogy for a moment and realizes that it's probably the worst analogy in the world, sue him he's never been all that imaginative. At first he thought it had been Castiel, as the angel had been his original savior from the pit. But it didn't feel like Castiel, call him crazy but the angel just felt different from the person who had soothed his fevered nightmares. He knew it wasn't Sam because let's face it; Sam's powers weren't about all the sunshine and daisies in the world. He definitely didn't think that it was Isabella because the girl is wrapped up completely in Castiel, staring up at him with adoring eyes and the two angels (okay angel and ex-angel) are always tightly wrapped around each other. Dean wants to love like they do but he's too broken now. Besides Isabella just doesn't feel like cold, softness, and she's hardly soothing. It couldn't have been Bobby because Bobby was just an ordinary person in the end and even though he knew Bobby watched out for him like a father he doubted the man had even been awake in the middle of the night. Therefore he had come to the conclusion that the mysterious presence that had yanked him out of his nightmarish dreams had plopped him smack in the middle of his favorite memories had been Eve. Heh, and for a moment there he had sounded a bit college smart.

"Dean? Hello? Ground control to Major Dean." Sam said and waved a dinner plate sized hand in front of Dean's face. Dean threw him a nasty glare and swatted his hand away.

"What?" he growled out, angry that his thought process was derailed.

"So we're agreed that we're going to build it using the drill?" Sam asked, looking at him like he expected Dean to freak out on him.

"Yeah whatever. I'm going to get some more coffee, you want any?" Sam stared at him for a long moment.

"You okay, dude?"

"I'm fine." Dean said bluntly before strolling towards the back door.

Inside is warmer than outside and the tasty aroma of cupcakes hangs heavy in the air. He inhales, once, twice, three times before he's satisfied with the scent. Eve stands at counter, her short medium brown hair pulled back as much as it can be, she hums a soft song and he freezes in the doorway, captivated by the domestic scene in front of him. He had rarely; if ever saw women in this capacity, soft and delicate looking. The women he hangs out with (meaning has sex with) are bitter and hard bitten, they're flirtatious and pushy and bold. It isn't to say that Eve is none of these but there's an odd softness to her, a maternal sooth to her voice and sweet smile. She's unlike any woman he has ever known.

"Are you going to just stand there like an idjit in the doorway, lettin' the cold in, boy?" Bobby says gruffly and Dean jerks slightly. Eve looks up from her task and laughs.

"Yeah." He mutters and trudges inside. "I was just coming in for another cup of coffee."

"With a splash of cream and one sugar, right?" Eve asks as she pours him a cup.

"Perfect." Dean says while flashing his most charming grin. Eve flushes brightly before turning back to the cupcakes. "So what are you working on?" he asks as he stands behind her and he has to stifle a laugh. Frosting Devil's Traps, he wonders for a brief moment if there's tiny demons trapped inside and laughs at the absurdity of the thought.

"Don't laugh! I might have to use these one day so I've been practicing."

"Says the girl who tortured a demon to death using her mind just a day ago." Eve's face twists and fills with sorrow.

"I didn't mean it. The problem with this power is that if the demon has injured the body it's in I can't save the person; I can't bleed the demon out of them. Instead I just destroy the body further, quickening the death of the human trapped inside. If the body hasn't been injured I can bleed that demon out easily but they rarely keep their victim safe from harm." She shook her head and put down the tube of icing.

"Hey…" he said softly and placed his hand over her left hand, which gripped the edge of the counter tightly. "You did them a favor, if they couldn't have been saved… or if they had been with the demon for so long then it was blessing, right? It was a blessing for them to finally have some peace."

"Still… I've been a mother many times over and I'm a divine being, Dean. The death of any person hurts no matter how justified or how they're now at peace." Her shoulders slumped slightly. "I need some fresh air." She said softly before glanced down at his hand atop hers. Dean blushed and boy did it feel weird to blush because he had never been one for blushing. He removed his hand from hers and took a step out of her personal space.

"Yeah… uhm… tell Sam I'll be out in a minute." He stands there for a moment, wondering if he's actually allowed to eat a cupcake because it looks pretty damn good.

"You like her." He jerks slightly, startled by Isabella who is standing next to him and in his personal space. He glanced towards the backdoor, relieved that Eve had closed it firmly.

"How did you-?"

"Sam taught me the finer points of sneaking, not that I'll really need it once I get my grace back." She frowned for a moment, tilting her head before letting out a sharp laugh. "Sorry funny thought, anyway we were talking about you not me."

"We were not talking about me." Dean said bluntly.

"No we were. You just didn't realize it!" Isabella insisted.

"We are totally not having this discussion."

"You totally like her, don't you?"

"I think its none of your business Powder Puff Wings." Dean said with a roll of his eyes.

"Fine, whatever, but I'll have you know that she likes pancakes and bacon." Isabella said with a huff, hands on her hips.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Oh, you'll know." Isabella was one woman that he would never understand. It didn't make any sense to him for her to announce that Eve liked pancakes, why would he need to know that?

"So how's it going with you and the IRS agent?" Dean asked before swiping a cupcake and shoving half of it into his mouth. He rolled his eyes to the back of his head and moaned in pleasure. Isabella gave him a disgusted look and drew back for a moment.

"Things are fine." She said tightly.

"Oh you guy still haven't rocked the van yet." Dean said with a laugh. Isabella shoved him.

"There's no van to rock and besides its none of your friggin' business."

"Yeah, see, now will you stop with the awkward questions?" he said and then wiped his hands on his jeans.

"Yeah fine, whatever." She hissed out. Dean smirked at her and stepped back outside where Sam was waiting for him impatiently, tapping his foot and wearing one of his bitchiest Bitch-Faces.

"_Dean!_ Where the hell were you?" He asked and then held up his hand. "Never mind. I've already started, using a drill by the way. It'll go quicker and you know it." Dean shook his head and turned his attention back to the boards at their feet, all the while sneaking appraising glances at Eve.

* * *

Isabella settles into the tiny cot that night with a smile on her face that threatens to break around the edges and leave her with a Glasgow grin. It's been a long time since she was this content with life, which is odd because she feels like she's gone a round with Mike Tyson. Bobby, Sam and Dean had decided that it was high time to teach her and Eve some defensive and offensive techniques in dirty fighting and while it had been fun she had gotten her ass thoroughly trounced by Eve. As a result she was sore, bruised, and tired but extremely content.

She leaned back into the fluffy pillows with a contented sigh, ignoring the aching pain of Castiel's mark upon her shoulder. Since she had received the mark she had taken to wearing tank tops to bed as it minimized the pain that occurred when fabric brushed against it. Tonight was no different. She had taken a quick shower, brushed out the tangles in her wet hair and changed into a pair of pajama pants with ducks on them and a tank top. She twirls a tendril of wet hair around her finger, waiting patiently for Castiel to join her before the door is closed.

When she looks up from tracing one of the ducks with her finger Castiel is standing in the doorway. He steps inside and she forgets how to breathe for a moment. His hair is still damp from his own shower and its chaotic as usual, like he had just run a towel through it a couple of times before deeming it dry enough. A small towel is slung around his waist and it's too tiny, resting dangerously short on his thighs. It's also low enough so that she can see a trickle of water slide from his chest and down into the V of his hips. She licks her lips and desperately wants to trace its trail with her tongue. His pale skin glows in the strange half-light of the room and when he continues forward his lean muscles move smoothly. He moves with the grace of a panther.

It isn't until he is standing with his knees against the bed that she realizes that she's flattened herself against the wall, staring up at him with large eyes and bitten lips.

"Isabella? Are you okay?" he whisper asks. His voice is a soft hush and it sounds intimate in the tiny room.

"I'm fine." She manages to get out. She's shaking from containing herself, it just wouldn't do to throw herself at him but she wants him. Badly. And that aching need that she's had since she first met him is building up, slowly, and steadily. She doesn't know how much longer she can resist. In one quick movement she sits up, kneels in front him on the cot and grabs his shoulders, hauling him in for a quick, biting kiss.

When she pulls away Castiel's eyes are half lidded and what little blue she can see around his lust blown pupils is luminous bright. His chapped lips are bruised dark and they're wet from her needy, sloppy kisses. The towel has slipped dangerous low and his left hand fists the fabric, holding tight to keep modesty intact. He looks thoroughly debauched and when she catches a glance of herself in the tiny mirror across the room she looks the same. Her hair wild, lips swollen red, and her skin glows, creating a strange, flickering play of light on water on the metal walls.

She sucks in a deep breath, trying to calm her racing, mortal heart.

"Oops." She whispers. "I should… I'm going to…" she trails off when Castiel stays silent and just stares at her. Finally he speaks his voice low and deliberate.

"If you wish to…" he pauses but continues. "To break the seal upon your Grace and angelhood requires certain, special words. It is not just sex and then you're an angel again it is much more complex." There's an awkward moment where she tries to figure out exactly what he's saying before her face heats up with a blush. _Oh._ She opens her mouth to respond before closing it again. Then she opens her mouth and lets out a strangled noise. She clears her throat and speaks.

"You mean… uhm. You mean that if we wanted to have… sex. We could without turning me into Super Sailor Moon." And she realizes that the pop culture reference is entirely lost on him but she doesn't care.

"Yes. That is precisely what I mean." He's staring at her intently and she feels entirely too awkward about this moment to think about jumping his bones. The moment is ruined so she does that first thing she can think of.

"I need a glass of water." She says and flees the too-silent room.

Castiel follows her into the kitchen, throwing on pair of pajama pants before he races up the stairs.

"Why do you always _run_?" he asks in a frustrated tone as he catches her against the counter. Isabella shrinks back as Castiel presses himself against her, aligning their bodies in all the right places. He plants his hands on either side of her, effectively trapping the ex-angel.

"I'm _not _running!" Isabella hisses back at him. Castiel cocks an eyebrow and she flushes averting her eyes in shame. "Okay so maybe I am. Is it so hard to believe that maybe I'm _just_ not ready?"

"No it is not. I am… frustrated though." Her eyes widen and she stares at him in shock. "This body is very frustrating. I feel these human emotions intensely. I feel the physical part of these emotions acutely and it's frustrating to hold back. I want to be with you… in every sense of the word. I want more then to kiss you, or talk to you or hold you. I want to connect with you in the highest form… I want… _you_." For a moment he stands there panting after all of his fervent whispering. Then he crushes his mouth to hers in a bruising kiss.

His hands catch her wrists when she goes to shove him away, angry that he had dared to kiss her when she didn't want to. He presses her back into the counter as his mouth works against hers, demanding and harsh. She responds in anger, biting his lower lip and their teeth clink together as she strains against his grip. Finally his hands slide to her hips, fingers digging into the soft flesh. She cups one hand against the back of his head and grips his shoulder with the other.

Somehow they manage to stumble down the stairs, both fighting for dominance as she shoves him onto the bed and climbs atop him, straddling him and pushing him down as she bit and nibbled his collarbone and neck. She shifts her hips and moans loudly a moment before Castiel sits up, capturing her lips with sweetly. She feels like she's tasting honey in his mouth. His hands slide beneath the tank top, first resting on her waist before moving upward. Her spine shivers in anticipation. Castiel starts to slide the tank top off but before he can there's a loud bang from the door.

"Hey! Wakey Wakey Love-birds!" Dean shouts. For a moment they keep still and quiet. Both looking at each in dismay when there's another bang on the door, Dean shouts again. "Get your asses out of bed! We've got company!" They slowly detangle themselves from each other, reluctant to stop what they've started. If it were demons Dean would have said so. Castiel throws on a shirt and Isabella tries to make herself look less like she had just spent the past twenty minutes making out with Castiel.

Dean stares at them when Castiel opens the door before laughing.

"Oh man! I just _totally _cock-blocked you, man!" Dean says before slapping Castiel on the back. "Sorry about that but someone is here for you." Castiel gives him a disgruntled look and Dean chuckles. "You totally have a hickey." Dean says nonchalantly and leads them up the stairs. Castiel appears unconcerned with the fact that Isabella has left any mark. A moment later it disappears and she pouts at his back.

In Bobby's living room Sam looks vaguely disgruntled and ruffled, it is clear that he doesn't welcome the intrusion to his sleeping on the couch. Bobby looks amusing, for some reason that is not immediately noticeable. Eve on the other hand looks downright murderous, her hands keep clenching and unclenching at her sides, as if she trying not to punch the man standing across from her. Tall and broad, he's built like a swimmer with lean muscles and easy grace. His hair is blond and tousled stylishly. Isabella can't see his face yet but she imagines that he is extremely good looking. He turns around when he hears their approach. His eyes are sea green and his smile is infectious, with thin but not-too-thin lips and white, glittering teeth. When he speaks his voice is soft and melodious with the slight hint of an Australian accent.

"Isabella! So good to see you!"

"Uhm… not to be rude but who the hell are you?"

"Ah! Of course! I forgot about your little memory problem… no matter it is only a matter of time before you gain it back. Although I do wish that Castiel would hurry up… Heaven just hasn't been the same since you were cast out and-."

"Raphael." Castiel said in a warning tone.

"Oh right! Shouldn't be talking about that until you actually remember what I'm talking about!" he laughed. "Besides, Cas and I have some business to attend to! Come Little Brother. My, my, don't you look mortal!" Raphael pranced away and dragged a disgruntled looking Castiel along with him. Isabella watched him go for a few seconds as they disappeared out the back door and Raphael began gesticulating wildly.

"Ugh!" Eve said angrily and started pacing. "I can't stand him! He's so fucking full of himself! 'Oh Eve! You're still around? I should have thought by now that you would have run away from your responsibilities!'" she mocked in a particularly bad Australian accent.

"Calm down, Eve. It's nothing. The guy is just another dick like Uriel." Dean said as he put a hand on her arm, they both look down at it before both of them jerked away at the same. Isabella cocked an eyebrow, thinking it odd and wondering if something had happened between the two of them.

"All archangels' are like that…" Isabella said with a flap of her hand. "It's because they're at the top of the food chain now that I've been exiled and Lu is locked up." Eve whirled and stared at Isabella. Her face was pale as cold milk and she looked vaguely shocked.

"_Lu_. You just called Lucifer _Lu_; I haven't heard you call him that in ages. Not since before the Fall."

"So?"

"Its just strange is all." Eve hedged before resuming her pacing.

Twenty minutes later Castiel and Raphael came back in, both looking grave.

"You can see how this might create some problems for your charge…" Raphael said as he stepped through the doorway.

"Certainly. It is a risk and could jeopardize much of our work but… when the time comes I am sure I will be able to meet the situation head on and come out the victor." Raphael's face darkened.

"He is becoming more adept at destroying our kind. He had words, Castiel, words that are very painful. Spells that could make an angel nothing but dust. He can extract your true name without breaking a sweat."

"And I'll worry about it when the time comes. I will prepare to take him on." Raphael's hand on Castiel's shoulder stopped the short angel for a moment, and Castiel glanced down at his shoulder, giving Raphael a significant look. Raphael dropped his hand.

"Cas… he is strong. Too strong. I cannot stress it enough that he is strong and dangerous. A _viper_, Cas, a _viper_. He is Lilith's top solider, her right hand man."

"I know this, Raphael, and I do wish that you would not call me by the nickname."

"Fine. You've been duly warned. If you come across him let Uriel handle him, you've never tangled with the likes of him."

"Yes, yes, of course." Castiel said distractedly. It was clear that their conversation had caught the attention of all the awaiting occupants in the living room.

"Well then, now that business is done how about we play a bit of catch up? Robert?" It took a second for Bobby to respond as he rarely went by Robert anymore.

"Huh? I mean yes?"

"Do you happen to have any rum on hand here? I find that my vessel is very partial to it."

Awhile later Raphael was recounting a particularly embarrassing story about Castiel.

"So in the scuffle Uriel had lost his almighty flaming sword, back in the day all of us archangels carried those things around and man it was hell on the back. Anyway Cas wasn't very old at all, maybe a couple of hundred years old and he wasn't supposed to using one because he never really learned beyond the basics of it. He was shit at using that thing anyway, which was why Father told him to stick with hand to hand or his flaming arrows, which he was a crack shot with those. So Uriel had lost in the scuffle and Cas being the polite boy he is decided to 'save' Uriel. He hefted up this ridiculously large sword and is swinging it around, all haphazardly, shouting nonsense at the demon that was choking Uriel. Now unbeknownst to Castiel, Uriel had the situation under control. So Castiel is waving it around like a madman and…" here Raphael broke off and dissolved into incoherent laughter.

"And?" Dean prodded.

"And then he starts to lift it to strike down the demon, except he over calculated and ended up bashing himself in the face, and of course that is exactly the moment the sword began to spout flames. He didn't have eyebrows for a week!" Everyone tried to politely stifle their chuckles but it didn't work. "No! I gets better! So he's stumbling around half-blinded by the light and ends up impaling Uriel with his own sword! Uriel of course immediately sucker punched Cas and somehow the demons got away because all of the angels instead of fighting the demons started fighting each other. It's a barroom brawl, everyone has abandoned their weapons and started rolling around biting and kicked and punching. Of course Michael pops up out of nowhere and ended up getting a black eye from Uriel… naturally it was decided that Uriel would get to work alone from then on."

"Jeez is that why he's so bitchy?" Dean asked.

"Well of course. He's still trying to make up for punching Michael!" Raphael laughed and took a swig from his glass. "I should get back." He murmured before finishing his glass. He stood and glanced around the room. "See ya." He said and then disappeared.

"Well that was weird." Dean commented.

"I'm beat." Bobby said and headed to his bedroom. Eve followed suit, giving Dean a lingering glance before she disappeared as well. Castiel took her hand and they went to room with salt fortified iron walls.

In the tiny cot they laid there still and uncertain. She could feel her heart patter in her chest and Castiel curled around her, his rum scented breath huffing in her ear as they both drifted.

"What did Raphael tell you?" she finally asked. It was clear that they would not be making the beast with two backs tonight. She shifted so she was facing him and Castiel stared down at her solemnly.

"A demon, Alistair, one of the worst, has escaped from hell. Raphael was warning me to be careful. Alistair is strong… and he has words of power, spells that can rip an angel to pieces. He is not be trifled with."

"Will he come after me?"

"I don't know." Castiel replied his voice sounded hesitant and defeated. "I will protect you… I will protect you from him if it comes down to it. He will not take your name. I promise." He whispered as he pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek. As she drifted to sleep it occurred to her that perhaps Raphael had not meant her when he had speaking of Castiel's charge but rather Dean.

* * *

A/N: so normally I wait until I have the next chapter finished to post the already finished chapter I have, for instance, I posted chapter one after I finished chapter two, and chapter two after I finished chapter three but I just had the nagging urge to post this right the fuck now. Maybe it was the promo I watched for 'Death Takes a Holiday'/Upcoming episodes, maybe its because I really like this chapter, or maybe it was because I'm nearly finished with the next chapter and its kind of a mundane, filler chapter. Maybe its because I'm sick and feel like shit, I bet reviews would cheer me up. All I can say is that I think the next few episodes of Supernatural will break me… what I saw is now in my head and I can't erase it (heh… I might be acting a tad overdramatic) point is there are things in the next episode(s) that look crazy, awesome, cool, terrible, and breaking. I think Eric Kripke is out to kill me… as soon as some of the more gasp worthy moments rolled on this 45 second clip I reeled back, gasped, cried out 'NOOOO!', wailed like a wounded animal, started to cry and then raced outside for a cigarette to babble on incoherently to my friend's voicemail for five minutes in a mixture of pained sobs, angry declarations, a chorus of oh my god's, and a few seconds of bizarre noises and silence where I tried to sort out my thoughts and miserably failed. I might be a tad obsessive and a tad sensitive... All I have to say to anyone not a fan of spoilers, is strap on your boots because we're in for a wild ride, Dean fans, Sam fans and everyone in between, be prepared to chuck shit at the television because chances are you're going to be pissed off! Anyway… now that my brain has imploded upon itself… I would like to thank CourtneyLynnWinchester, JuliaAurelia, and Alliehalliwell for adding _Absolution _to your alerts and favorites!

Review Replies:

Sadie e a: being sick sucks, although I did immediately send my mom out for sherbet right when I read that, I like orange or raspberry! So thank you for that suggestion, best one that had worked so far, other then warm Gatorade. I have to admit that at some point (probably not during _Absolution_) I plan on writing something where Castiel is totally slang-ed out and says phrases like, "Word up, dawg, my homie is God and my peeps be Uriel and Gabriel," wow… awkward. I've read a few stories where Castiel says things like, 'totally' and 'wow', not that those are necessarily bad words it's just that they don't suit Cas, on the other hand I hate it when Cas speaks properly and like he should be in a Shakespeare play. I've attempted to blend in a mixture of semi-modern speech with a sense of propriety… I fully admit I read his lines out loud and test them with a friend using a sort of 'high born society voice that has a very deliberate cadence in it' as my friend one put it. Point being I'm glad that Castiel hasn't sounded too off, and that _Absolution _is actually the type of story that needs to be read and not skimmed!

JuliaAurelia: Thanks! I haven't check the Supernatural section in awhile to read anything so I have no idea if there's any other Castiel/OC fics floating around, before I posted I don't think there were any at all… maybe one or two. It's good to know that mine is well written enough so it's not being dubbed a Mary Sue fic, and if it is I haven't heard anything…

Alliehalliwell: Thanks! Castiel is always portrayed on Supernatural as being extremely detached, formal, and kind of cold but I'm pretty sure that being in a human body and being restricted would make him a bit of a softie… plus an in love Castiel is awesome. I totally was going to have some steaminess in this chapter but I aborted it because it seemed too soon… there are some major smoochies as you've probably noticed! I'm thinking that you should look out for the steaminess by chapter eight to ten, I haven't decided when though and they remain unwritten. I've reiterated the fact that _Twilight _is _Buffy/Ange_l rip-off to several people who haven't seen either of the shows and no one gets it… however those who have seen them totally understand… like I said I have a burning hatred for _Twilight _and everything connected to _Twilight_…

AnnabelleLee: ANGEL-FU!!! I love it to death… it doesn't hurt that Cas looks so freakin' intensely hot whenever he does. And when he did it to Sam he was totally thinking, "Bitch Please!" Well Eve and Dean are both kind of sex addicts… remember the DoubleMint twins? That woman with the 14 kids has nothing on Eve! Yeah… sadly there was a distinct lack of gooeyness last chapter… next chapter has tons of it though! Lol… Ruby… Sam… necrophilia… lmao… it is true though! I liked her better as a blonde… but she'll show up fairly soon as I'm totally doing my take on what 'I Know What You Did Last Summer" and 'Heaven and Hell' would be like if there were an Isabella and Eve in the show… and of course the wonderfully evil Alistair will be there… I have to admit I totally love Alistair. Ruby's dark side sucks with its no good cookie rule. The only cookies she has are Fig Newton's, and nobody likes Fig Newton's!

LostPhan: Have I mentioned how hard I laugh every time I read one of your reviews? This time I was on campus in a little café spot and though I was stifling my giggles I got a ton of weird looks, which was okay because those poor people are probably deprived of awesomeness. The whole restricted feeling of the car stems from my feelings of claustrophobia in the winter in my car with my seven layers and huge puffy coat… and something with Sidhe being scared of flying because how restricting the metal can be to them and their magic in Laurell K Hamilton's _Meredith Gentry_ series. It's true… Uriel has no one who wants to bone him, that's why he's so pissy, its sexual frustration. He wants to smite Dean because Dean called him junkless! Lmao, as soon as I read "Also, the image of Castiel driving a fucking truck is hilarious" I imagined Cas in my 1995 Mitsubishi Montero, which is what Isabella happens to drive, and I burst out laughing so hard I was in tears. I just picture him with a serious face, wearing that awful coat, and weaving in and out of traffic… then I pictured him driving my truck but with spinners and hydraulics and I almost fell off my chair I was laughing so hard. Bobby indeed, when I wrote that chapter there was no recent Bobbyness… Dean has an angel-hickey too… ew… I just imagined Sam snoring away in bed with zombies rising all around them and Dean's like, "Dude… we need to get you one of those nose strips to wear. This can't keep happening." Castiel would make Alex Trebek his bitch! It would be like Celebrity Jeopardy on SNL with Sean Connery but worse… he'd press his buzzer before anyone else, before anyone else even knew the question. Cas is all knowing! I sometimes wish Isabella were real so she could totally clean my messy ass house. I figure the least she could do for Bobby was to spruce the place up a bit, Bobby totally needs a woman's touch there… I'm thinking Ellen… they're about the same age. I feel bad for Eve… she spent most of her time on earth having kids with Adam for about a thousand years so technically to her Dean fucking Winchester should be a cakewalk but sadly no. Poor Castiel would cry if he ever saw Gossip Girl. I've read a few of the books and blech, not my cup of tea. Yes! And in this chapter we have another angel! I love Raph, I feel like he should be an angel on the show… but maybe it's because I made him so friggin' awesome. Indeed, Dean is pretty messed up and judging by the spoiler I watched it's about to get worse. I loved Jim Beaver, I was watching an old episode of Six Feet Under and he was a prison guard or something and I cheered! You should definitely check out Secret Life… it's so awesomely bad. Pattinson? That's his last name? Huh… I would have thought it would be Homeless-Bum or something… I use that description every time I rant about him. Well I hope your friend takes pictures of Misha doing CPR; I bet he's a nice guy like that. "Oh my! She fainted! I had better start CPR." Although I doubt he would say Oh my! Lmao… oh man… I'm still giggling about Nip/Tuck and the porn music. I totally am going to take yoga… at home though… I don't think I'd be comfortable doing it in public. I think the male version of a Mary Sue should be called a Misha Collins. Yep, definitely. And Papa and Mama Winchester are a go, I've gone over the idea with twenty different people and they all say a resounding YES! I just don't know when… probably soon. I know it will be after Isabella gets angelfied. And its been decided that Raph will do it! In the early version of this story (I mean the really early version when I heard Uriel would be on but I didn't know he'd be played by Robert Wisdom) the Winchester's are reunited right off the bat and its because every angel chose someone to resurrect that would be helpful. Uriel chose Bella for some odd reason… and Isabella was a lot scarier and a lot angrier and a human soul turned angel soul… huh. It was weird.


	7. When You Were Young

Title: Absolution

Author: TigerTiger02

Chapter Title: When You Were Young

Spoilers: pretty much if you haven't seen any season four you probably shouldn't be reading this since Castiel is featured heavily. Pre-"I Know What You Did Last Summer"…. And considering this has been Kripke'd (although I've been working on it for a good month) I think you all know where this is heading…

Summary: Castiel's retrieves Sam and Dean for a mission from God. Guess they didn't expect it to be an Atomic-Bomb Girl. Shameless Castiel/OC.

Disclaimer: not mine, if it was I would totally take Castiel home as pet, he's just so darn cute!

Dedication: to Nikki, who has been here with me every step of the way, and to all the readers and reviewers, you totally make my life!

_You sit there in your heartache  
Waiting on some beautiful boy to  
To save you from your old ways  
You play forgiveness  
Watch it now  
Here he comes_

_He doesn't look a thing like Jesus  
But he talks like a gentleman  
Like you imagined  
When you were young…_

_And sometimes you close your eyes_

_And see the place where you used to live_

_When you were young_

_"When You Were Young"- The Killers_

The closer they came to her mother's house, the house Isabella had been raised in, the more nervous she became. They had only been on the road for eight hours, getting up at five to make it to her mother's house by one.

"I told her I was bringing a friend but I don't think she realized what kind of friend. Oh my god! What if she doesn't like you? What if no one likes you? _Shit_. I should have told her there was no way I would be able to make it out-." As they were at a stoplight Castiel twisted in his seat, cupped a hand around her neck and pulled her towards him in a breath stealing kiss in one swift movement. She sat dazed for a moment before a honk behind her spurred her into action.

Even as she drove through the familiar neighborhood Isabella felt as if everything had changed. The last time she had been home was over a month ago and she felt guilty for not keeping her mother informed, especially since her mother had no idea that Isabella was shacking up with an angel, three hunters, and Eve. Her mother would die if she ever found out. In fact her sister would call her a slut and her brothers would threaten the three mortals and then attempt to kill Castiel. It was good thing her angel had divine healing powers, at least on himself.

With a sigh she parked her SUV in front of the one story ranch house and stared at it. The driveway was packed with cars, ranging from her mother's Ford to her sister's Audi. Isabella took a deep breath and slid out of her car, leaving the overnight bags in the car to thread her fingers with Castiel's.

"Ready?" He whispered in her ear and she shut her eyes.

"Give me a moment." The moment didn't last when she heard the front door being flung open and a high, childlike voice yell.

"Auntie Izzie!" Something collided with her and little arms went tight around her waist, squeezing her in a death grip. She looked down at the thick, dark hair of her nephew Alex. Crouching down she smiled brightly at him and pulled him into a hug.

"Hey Munchkin!"

"Aunt Izzie! I'm not seven anymore! You _can't_ call me that!" the little boy said with embarrassment. Isabella quirked a smile and cocked her head.

"Oh that's right; you're a big boy now. I guess I'll have to call you _Alexander _from now on." Alex blanched, his hazel eyes going wide.

"Ew! I'm not that old! Maybe when I'm your age!" Isabella narrowed her eyes.

"You calling me old?" she said with a fake glower. Alex gaped at her.

"Nuh-uh! You're not old! Is this your husband?" Alex suddenly asked. Isabella turned wide eyes to Castiel who looked bemused. He crouched down and solemnly held out his hand for Alex to shake.

"Well no, I'm not her husband… but there is time for that yet."

"I'm Alex Monroe!" Alex chirped, attempting to look as serious as Castiel but failing.

"My name is Castiel. But everyone calls me Cas for short."

"Isn't Cas a girl's name?" Alex asked bluntly and Isabella stared at him horrified.

"Sometimes it is but not in this instance."

"Do you love my Aunt Izzie?" Castiel's lips twitched into a smile and he turned bright eyes to Isabella who stared at him, a hand resting on her heart as she stopped breathing for a moment to hear his answer.

"Yes. I do. Very much so."

"Really?" Alex asked with his arms folded over his chest. "So why aren't you married?"

"Because we decided to wait a little while before we got married, to make sure that we really loved each other." Isabella cut in before Castiel could say anything. There was a long moment where Castiel just stared at her before he stood up and gave her a solid kiss. In the background Alex declared it to be gross and stomped away.

"_Isabella Marie Monroe!_" Isabella heard her mother scold from afar before Castiel jerked away from her startled. For a moment Isabella held his steady, reassuring gaze before turning towards her mother who had a furious look on her face. "Hello, I'm Marla Monroe, Isabella's mother, and who the _hell _are you?" She snarled out in a pleasant tone towards Castiel. Castiel blinked at her for a moment.

"Castiel." He said simply and held out his hand. Marla stared at it for a long moment before shaking it.

"Pleasure. Now who are you?" Isabella opened her mouth but before she could say anything Castiel cut in.

"We met in California; I'm an acquaintance of James." He said simply. Isabella stared at him for a long moment, weren't angels supposed to not be able to lie?

"Uh-huh… and what do you do for a living?"

"I'm a teacher." Castiel said smoothly and Marla lifted an eyebrow.

"Of what?"

"Philosophy and Religion." Marla's eyebrow continued going up as Isabella tried to control the laughter that was threatening. She was grateful that he didn't say something like Minister, at least a professor of philosophy and religion was halfway believable, even if he looked a little young to be stodgy old professor.

"Really? How interesting." Marla commented. "So you're a friend of James then?"

"Yes. I used to play with him sometimes." Isabella stared at him in shock, wondering how he knew James was a musician, and if he even knew how to play the guitar or drums.

"And what are your intentions with my daughter; you've known her for what? A week?"

"Actually, Mom, the last time Eve and I went out there I met Cas. We kept up communication." Isabella said. Marla's eyes narrowed.

"Really? Why did you never mention him before?"

"Because before he was just a friend." Isabella's said with a blush and reached for Castiel's hand. His palm was dry and cool in hers and he squeezed her hand gently, as if reassuring her.

"I _adore _your daughter. Isabella is intelligent, kind and enjoyable to be around." Marla stared at him a long moment, her chestnut colored hair winding around her head in the wind, looking like Medusa's head of snakes as her hazel eyes remained narrowed, meeting Castiel's disconcerting gaze with no indication of discomfort. Then she smiled suddenly.

"Well, I guess we had better get inside then." She said in friendly tone and Isabella heaved a sigh of relief.

"Jeez, that was close…" she muttered as they followed her oblivious mother.

Inside her older brothers are sitting at the kitchen table, drinking beers and chatting with her sister's husband Phil. Her younger brother, Andrew, is sullenly setting the table as Alex pesters him. Her oldest brother looks up, a wide grin stretching his face.

At thirty-six his face is showing fine lines and wrinkles, his years in Arizona giving him a weather-beaten face. His dark hair is already threaded with silver hairs and his hazel eyes sparkle. His wife of nine years is no where to be found, possibly with Isabella's only sister. Wendy was a tad older then her brother, with brilliant blonde hair and kind brown eyes. Years ago she had been a surgical nurse but had given it up to raise Alex when Charlie's electrician business had taken off.

"Izzie!" he calls out happily and gives her a bear hug. He turns and narrows hazel eyes at Castiel.

"And who is this?" he asks, looking Castiel up and down, taking it Castiel's black dress pants and dark blue cashmere sweater. Castiel's hair is typically disheveled looking, as if he's been running his hands through it, which he has. The blue of his sweater matches his eyes today. Isabella flushes and grasps Castiel's hand tighter while toeing off her shoes.

"This is my boyfriend, Cas." She says softly. Her brother takes on a serious look, a look she remembers from her childhood when she'd broken her arm and he had to take her to the ER when their mother was working late.

"Cas? Hmmm? I'm Charlie, Isabella's oldest brother." They shake hands and have a macho stare down; she thinks Castiel might have won because damn he can really stare down people when he wants to. Charlie smiles slightly and Isabella breaths out. A smile is silent approval.

"Hey Iz, where'd you pick up the stray?" Mike, her second oldest brother asks. He laughs at his own joke and grins widely. She rolls her eyes at him. At twenty-nine Mike is just settling into adulthood, having spent most of his early twenties and teens in trouble, rehab, jail, or struggling with college. She silently notes that he looks healthy, which means that his four years sober from narcotics has held strong. His light blonde hair is shorter again and artfully arranged in a chaotic mess, his blue eyes twinkle gleefully, indicating that she might spend the night with teasing. He looks more like their dad then she does.

"In California." She said bluntly.

"Psh. California is _so _last summer." Mike said airily. Isabella twitched slightly.

"Whatever. Hey Phil." Phil looked over and grinned; out of all of her sister's boyfriend's Phil was her favorite, having come back to her even after Rose had dumped him for a flaky mechanic. They had been married only three years but it seemed like marriage had settled them down. His dirty blonde hair had been pulled back into a ponytail, as it had once more gotten too long for him to manage. The edges of his blue eyes crinkle as he smiles at her, showing a gap between his two front teeth. He gives her a solid hug and for a moment she smiles into his chest, Phil is far taller than anyone she knows and is built solidly. She wonders who would win in a fight, Sam or Phil. "Still training for the UFC?" she asks and Phil nods enthusiastically.

She glances over to see Castiel in deep conversation with Charlie and a small smile quirks her mouth, her angel getting along with her human family. That was the most she could hope to get out the situation, besides her mother believing that Castiel was taking very good care of her. Phil leads her out of the kitchen without her even realizing it. He glances at her sister for a moment, who had yet to notice her, before speaking.

"So what's the deal with this guy? You never bring a guy home unless he's something special. In fact in the eleven years I've known you, you've only brought home two guys, and they all turned out to be duds." Isabella studied her feet for a moment before looking up at Phil.

"He's… nothing like I ever expected. I know that he looks like a dork, and I know that he's a bit older than me but I like him. _A lot_. Cas… Cas makes me feel like I'm the only person in the world for him. He makes me feel like no one will ever amount to what I am to him. He treats me like I'm a strong, capable person but he realizes that sometimes I just need to be treated with delicacy." She flushed and felt tears build in her throat, her emotions overwhelming her momentarily. And that was when she realized that she did love Castiel, she didn't know if she was in love him, but she did know that she loved him. The yearning in her heart was lessening the more time he spent with her, and it didn't hurt that he was ridiculously attractive. Phil smiled down at her.

"Good. I'm glad you've found someone who will look at you as if you're the most precious thing in the world." He said with a nod towards Castiel, who was speaking to Alex, crouching in front of the boy and explaining something with wide gestures. Phil makes his way to the pair and crouches down as well, shaking Castiel's hand enthusiastically.

"Hey sis!" Rose slung an arm around Isabella and grinned at her, waggling her eyebrows at Castiel. "Who is that?" and she says it in such an awe stricken voice that Isabella has to fight off a primal growl of **'Mine!'** Clearly Castiel has a certain effect on women as every single waitress they had in every single restaurant/diner they had stopped at on the way here had a look in their eyes when they caught sight of him. A hungry, desperate, awe stricken, an _Oh-my-fucking-God,-who-is-this-man-who-has-walked-in _sort of look. It made her veins burn with jealousy that rushed through her body and crackled on her skin.

"He's _my _boyfriend." Isabella emphasizes. Rose turns wide eyes to her, they're pale blue and she runs a hand through her dirty, ash blonde hair.

"My, my, I've never seen you this possessive about a boy, well man. How old is he anyway?" Isabella bites her lip. Rose is about two years older than her, twenty-six now, and anyone as old as Charlie is unacceptable to her.

"Thirty-two." Isabella murmurs. She realizes that she had no idea what his vessel's age is, but he looks about thirty-two.

"Eight years!" Rose declared and Isabella winced inwardly.

"Mom always said I was too mature for boys my age." Isabella said with a shrug. She realizes with a smirk that many had called her an old soul, turned out that they were right. And Castiel had said she was created before him, meaning that she was the older one in their relationship.

"I just… Izzie… he's older than Phil! He's almost as old as Charlie! I mean has he been married already?" Isabella stared at her sister and sighed.

"No he has not. Look… I don't care about the age difference and Cas doesn't even notice it either, besides he looks younger than that. And anyway why should it matter? I like him, he likes me, we're _happy_." Isabella stalked away from her sister and turned the corner, intending on hiding out in her old bedroom.

When she stepped in she froze. There in a car-seat was a baby, fast asleep and breathing slowly and deeply. She hadn't seen her sister's daughter since she had been born. The baby was at least four months old by now. Carefully, with grace she barely possesses, she tip toes over to the bed, staring down at the tiny figure, whose chest moves up and down with deep breaths. She's entranced with the baby and she doesn't even know why. Normally she loathes children, the whole lot of them, babies to pre-teens. Hell she can barely stand mouthy teenagers. Its not that she hates children, not really, she just can't understand why anyone would want children, they're difficult and hard to care for and so… needy. But the baby pulls and yanks on her heart strings. She knows she likes her one nephew so far, Alex, but probably because he was intelligent and past some of the more obnoxious phases of childhood. She gnaws her lip and steps closer.

The baby looks so… innocent and untainted. She touches a finger to the downy soft cheek of the baby and pulls back quickly. She's simply fascinated by it, can't take her eyes off the child. Then she remembers Castiel's words from one night, a night that feels so long ago when she had asked if he would still find her attractive even if she were Quasimodo (a pop culture reference that he had apparently understood). Castiel had laughed, low and deep, a laugh that sent shivers through her body as he tightened his hold on her. His voice whispered to her, rough sandpaper and soft silk in a deliberate cadence. _"You have never seen humans without the trappings of sin and blight upon them. Babies… Isabella… babies. Look upon their sweet faces and understand that there is beauty in the world. Their souls shine so brightly… and yet despite the physical imperfections all humans are great works of art, all souls are beautiful… to a point…"_ Then he had smoothed her hair back and dropped a chaste kiss on her forehead, telling her simply that he would love her even if she were a bison, though the mechanics of their relationship might be a little difficult if she was and he doubted he could find a bison vessel pure enough to hold his true form.

Crouching in front of the bed and staring at the baby in fascination Isabella could finally understand why she had to constantly pinch Castiel in over-crowded public places. It was entirely too easy to get distracted by the glimpses of purity or just sheer beauty, and she didn't even have her Grace to peel back the layers of humanity revealing what shone beneath. She couldn't even begin to imagine what Castiel saw when let his gaze wander aimlessly over the masses.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" the soft voice of her sister startled her and Isabella stood quickly.

"Uhm… yeah." She said lamely, eyes fixed intently on the child but the spell was broken and the baby looked like any other baby.

"You didn't stick around after she was born so I never got to tell you her name."

"What is her name?" Isabella asked softly and turned to Rose. Rose smiled softly.

"Belle, its short for Isabelle, close but no cigar… you don't mind, do you?" Isabella smiled.

"Nah. But there is not way in hell I'm naming my kid Rosaline or some shit like that."

"It's fine… I just miss you, my baby sister is growing up and now you have this guy in your life and you are all serious about him. I mean do I have to start slimming down for my matron of honor dress? In a year is there going to be a baby?" Her sister cocked her head and stared at Isabella, waiting for an answer.

Isabella sighed and looked down at the baby. Could angels have kids? Get married? The entire reason she even knew about her supposed divinity was because Castiel was sent to unlock said divinity so they could stop the apocalypse from happening. Marriage and babies didn't factor into it. Eventually she would become an angel and then… what? They would defeat Lilith; stop Lucifer from escaping and… what? What would happen when they were done? Would she be stripped of her Grace once more and forget everything that had occurred? Would Castiel and her stay and lead a normal life? Would they go to Heaven or wherever and that would be it? And what if she couldn't stop Lilith or Lu? It was too horrifying to think about.

"I don't know…" she whispered softly and Rose nodded.

"Come on, Mom sent me to get you to help."

Dinner proves to be somewhat difficult, at least for her. She remains tense and alert, ready to smooth over any wrinkles in their story. Castiel is relaxed and he smiles a lot, quick small smiles but smiles none the less. He gets along with her brothers and easily answers any questions on his life. She wonders if he's making it up as he goes along or if he's using the vessel's memories for most of it. After dinner, after pie (and her mother had baked her two extra pies to take back to California), and after coffee they all settle in the living room, trading recent stories and old recollections. Midway through one of Mike's stories Belle started to cry. A minute later Isabella found herself with a baby in her arms.

"Do you want to hold her?" Rose asked Castiel as the angel smiled down at Isabella and Isabelle.

"I-." But before Castiel could articulate an answer Rose had swiftly transferred Belle from Isabella's arms to Castiel's. He walks around the room, gently rocking the baby and cooing to her softly, a smile touching gently on the corners of his mouth. Isabella watches him with a small amount of shock, but really why should she be? Castiel is an angel, animals, people… most of them automatically relax around him and Belle does the same. She stares up at him with wide blue eyes and she reaches out with a little hand, fingers curling around nothing but there's a slight wince in Castiel's eyes and Isabella blinks. Had the baby seen his wings and tugged on the feathers? Rose leans towards her and Wendy winks at her.

"My, my _someone _sure looks comfortable with the baby…" Wendy comments.

"Hot _damn_… you _have _to have children with him." Rose says with a nudge. Isabella vaguely recognizes the language that is spilling fluidly from Castiel's lips, it sounds like Latin… maybe.

"Why?" Isabella asks defensively.

"He looks like he'll make a good father… he doesn't have any illegitimate children, does he?" Wendy asks with narrow eyes and Isabella tersely shakes her head.

"Please, Cas would never." She says tightly. "He's too religious for that." Rose turned wide pale blue eyes to her.

"So he hasn't been married either, right?" Isabella frowns.

"No. Why?"

"You said he's really religious…" Rose said and sighed.

"I don't get it." Wendy inputs with a frown to match Isabella's. For a brain surgeon's assistant Wendy could be dense but this is one instance where Isabella is right there with her.

"So he's a virgin!" Rose finally hissed and Isabella stared at her wide eyed.

"Uhm. What?"

"He's a virgin, isn't he?" Rose said insistently.

"No… nope. No not at all. I mean we haven't… but no… uh-uh. Not at all." Isabella said, though she was pretty sure that the vessel wasn't a virgin she couldn't be sure if Castiel himself was a virgin… perhaps he was physically. Jeez… they really needed to talk.

"Said that a little too quickly… me thinks it's suspicious. Why haven't you two done the deed?" On occasion Rose could be as bad as Eve, and just as perceptive.

"None of your business." Isabella hissed out angrily. It was a cop out answer but really she didn't feel like explaining any of it, especially because she would have to resort to a lot of metaphors and half-assed explanations.

"Oh my god. You're actually waiting…" Rose said and Isabella shot her an annoyed look. "No offense sister… it's just that you actually care."

"Yes I do." She said tightly before slinking over to Castiel who winced again and subtly removed the baby's fingers from the spot of blank space she had her fingers curled around. Isabella surreptitiously smoothed her hand over the spot and to her surprise she could feel her fingers come against some resistance but the second she notices the resistance gave way.

"Babies have the amazing ability to see things as they actually are… she can see my wings and they fascinate her."

"Why can't I see your wings and only sort of touch them?"

"I am containing them heavily but nerves are allowing her glimpses of them."

"Nerves?" Isabella asks as she rests her hand on his shoulder. He glances at her as he shifts Belle in his arms.

"I was told the meeting of a paramour's family is a very important tradition as the said paramour would take what her family said about her beau seriously and kick him to the curb."

"Eve tell you this?" Isabella asked.

"Yes." He said with wide unblinking eyes. Isabella sighed.

"Even if my family didn't like you I wouldn't care, so relax." She said and pressed a quick, chaste kiss to the corner of his mouth.

Since Rose and Phil live nearby they opt to leave around midnight. The same is said for Mike, who heads off to his lonely bachelor pad laden with leftovers. Charlie, Wendy and Alex leave as well, Alex sleepily saying goodbye to Isabella and Castiel. When it's just the four of them, Andrew, her mother, Castiel, and herself they settle in the living room.

"I've decided on my major." Andrew says solemnly. Her little brother is so serious, his head is ducked and he focuses the Monroe hazel eyes on his hands, either shyly or belligerently, it could be either really. His dark hair is messy and sticking up in odd places, despite the fact that he's nearly as tall as Sam he slouches and continues staring at his hands.

"Really?" Isabella says, because she all she really knew was that Andrew was interested in baseball, playing it to be totally truthful.

"Sports marketing." Andrew says bluntly and he looks up at her, seeking approval. Four years span the time between the two of them. She had been four when her position as youngest had been usurped by Andrew. Now her baby brother was, for the most part, all grown up and twenty years old. It made her a little sad to realize that she had distanced herself so much from her family. She had allied herself with the supernatural almost instantaneously and hadn't really looked back or given it any thought. She mused that perhaps a part of her had always sensed that she was other and because of that she had distanced herself from her ultimately mortal family. This visit with her family forced her to realize that she had an awful lot to think about.

"Cool." She said and took a sip of the warm tea her mother had made. "We're going to head to bed…" she murmurs softly.

In her old room she snuggles down into the covers and relaxes. Castiel slides between the covers and curls around her. She had so many questions for him and she doesn't even know where to start.

"So… _babies_." And that statement probably took the cake for most awkward segue into a conversation. Castiel looks at her with luminous bright eyes.

"Babies?" he repeats, a faint trace of shock in his voice.

"Yes. Babies. I mean… if we were to have sex unprotected… no birth control, no condoms, would I end up pregnant?" And by the way while she was thinking of it would she end up getting some holy STD? Probably not.

"It is possible but not for us."

"Huh?"

"We are both in human bodies, trapped and as so we can procreate, you would be able to carry a child full term but… it is not recommended. It would be very trying and difficult. You would miscarry fifty percent of the time." He said bluntly and Isabella bit her lip.

"So no babies for us?"

"No. Not unless plans change. Did you want children, with me?"

"Kind of… but its okay."

"I am sorry…" Castiel said softly. His hand curled around hers gently. She thought on it for a long moment and sighed. "Perhaps… someday…" he shook his head and Isabella nodded, understanding what he meant.

"What happens when we're done here? Do I go back to not knowing about anything? Do I ascend to some higher plane?" Castiel shifted his eyes to hers.

"I honestly cannot say what will happen when the War is over… but we will be together. I promise. Get some sleep…" he ordered and she fell into an uneasy rest.

* * *

They were back on the road by five. Isabella would have preferred to leave earlier but her mother was insistent that they at least stay for an early dinner. The next eight hours on the road were tiresome and Isabella found herself fidgeting in her seat while Castiel drove, a sight that had her stifling laughter every so often. They make it back to Bobby's past midnight and Isabella stumbles from the car. Dean and Eve meet them outside and Dean immediately pounces on her.

"Did you get the goods?" he asks and she holds up a pumpkin pie for his inspection.

"_Yes_!" he hisses and then spots the apple pie. "**Yes**! **_Yes_**!"

"Jeez Dean… need some alone time with that pie?" Eve asks as she stares at Dean's rapturous expression. He opens his mouth, possibly to say some highly sexualized comment about what he'd do alone with a pie for an hour before Isabella cuts him off.

"No! Do not even go there!" She says with a horrified look in his direction. "Where are Bobby and Sam?"

"Inside going through some books." Eve answers as they made their way inside.

Bobby looks up from the pile of books around him and Isabella sighs.

"I'm gone for barely more then a day and you undo all of my hard work." She said with a scoff.

"Well you can put those ones back." Bobby said nonchalantly and Isabella rolled her eyes.

"Fine whatever." The conversation lulls and no one speaks as Isabella continues organizing the books and Dean broaches the subject of taking on a job Sam had found in Concrete, Washington.

"Come on, it's only a couple of days driving… and it looks like it will be interesting."

"Dean you just want to go because it involves a ghost in local women's health facility." Sam said with an eye roll.

"Damn right I do. _Women_, _showers_, these people _need _to be saved."

"So it's going to be a simple salt and burn?" Bobby asked, ignoring the facts that with Winchester's things were never simple.

"I think so, it seems pretty straightforward." Sam said slowly.

"Then I think you guys should do it." Bobby said with a shrug. "We'll be fine here."

"Oh _hell yeah_! Thank you Bobby!" Dean said enthusiastically. "I'm going to get another piece of pie to celebrate!" He leapt up and strode to the kitchen. Eve sighed and placed her chin on her palm.

"_Gee_, it couldn't have been a bunch of men that needed saving but _hot, naked women_…" She said in a disgruntled tone.

"So you won't be coming with us?" Sam asked. Eve pulled a face.

"Yeah because I really want to see Dean droll over every piece of hot half-naked ass." Eve said sarcastically. "I'm going to bed." She growled out and swiftly stood. She breezed past Dean who held out an arm to stop her.

"Where are you going?" he asked, confusion creasing his brow. Eve pulled back her lips in a snarl and knocked his hand away.

"_I'm going to bed!_" she repeated and stomped up the stairs. Dean stood there for a moment, completely still and staring after her. He took a short, aborted step towards the stairs that Eve had bounded up before he jerked to a stop, glancing sideways at the audience who was watching him closely. He turned on his heel and flopped down next to Sam, a careless smile fixed on his face.

"What's her deal?" he asked before digging into the piece of apple pie with half-assed faked enthusiasm. Isabella snorts and rolls her eyes.

"Babe, I'm going to bed. You'll be down soon?" she asks as she stretches. Castiel glances up and nods once.

"Ten minutes." He confirms as he curls his fingers around a book that looked like it was written in Chinese.

* * *

Raphael stoically stands on the edge of the Grand Canyon, his sea green eyes taking in every detail of the reddened earth. His feet are planted a shoulder width apart and his hands are clasped behind his back. Instead of the surfer dude clothing he had worn only a few weeks ago when he had met with Castiel he wore an impeccable pinstripe suit with no tie and the top few buttons of his crisp white shirt unbuttoned. His tousled blonde curls bounce in the slight breeze made by the arrival of his companion.

"_Raphael_." Uriel's voice is cordial despite the undercurrent of irritation and disdain that always seems to be present. Raphael takes a moment before flickering his eyes to his companion and then back to the vast emptiness before him.

"_Uriel_, how is the search coming?" There is no trace of the carefree persona he had adopted before and his accent is thicker with seriousness.

"Alastair continues to evade us. We're always two steps behind him." A sneer twists Uriel's face for a moment.

"This is unfortunate."

"You have the _amazing _ability to understate the severity of the situation." Uriel says, annoyance dripping from his voice. Raphael gives him another cursory glance.

"Better to remain stalwart in the face of danger than panic." He says lightly.

"Perhaps."

"Any news on my suggestion?" Raphael asks, finally turning fully to Uriel. His eyes have lightened up and he tilts his head as if listening for something else in the silence.

"What makes you believe I would know anymore than yourself?" Uriel asks with a cocked eyebrow.

"I haven't been home in quite some time. I rather enjoy playing human."

"You and Castiel both, so _enamored _with these silly humans and their silly traditions and actions. These beloved _hairless apes_." Uriel snarls the last sentence out and Raphael looks at him startled.

"That does not answer my question. I would ask that you also refrain from blaspheming like that in front of me but you would not listen. Speak ill of our brothers if you wish, but do not speak ill of the humans."

"No I would not. Do you not listen to the chatter of the others?" Raphael flapped his hand dismissively.

"It's those damn Seraphims, Cherubims, and Thrones, can't get an intelligent thought in around that lot; they're all about the gossip."

"What about the Virtues? Do you not listen to them?" Raphael gave Uriel a disbelieving look. "The Powers then."

"A bunch of stuck up prigs. Did you know one of those prissy little ponces actually had the gall to lecture me on feeding my vessel's addiction? The nerve! And do not even get me started about the Principalities." Raphael huffed indignantly and crossed his arms over his chest. "Oh _fuck_! Done it again! Ever notice how it's much easier to blaspheme when in a vessel? Guess that's another round in the confessional for me… but what have you heard about my suggestion?"

"There has been approval. This is why I asked you to meet me here." Uriel said with a measured amount of exasperation.

"Excellent, now all we have to do is wait for Castiel to get Isabella's grove back, or _Grace _as it is."

"Its going to be a long wait. He treats her with kid gloves."

"We need her power… I can't accomplish the set task without her power to amp mine up. I was the one who came up with the plan; Father will expect me to execute it." Raphael said petulantly.

"Castiel knows what he must do but he hesitates…"

"Why?"

"How should I know?" Uriel growled.

"Well then, let's hope that Castiel gets a move on… the Winchester's need this… Dean's faith in himself will be restored and Sam will stop acting like a petulant little shit." Raphael said.

"That _hedonistic faithless scum_ will no doubt hop to it like a good little soldier." Uriel commented. Raphael lifted a golden eyebrow incredulously.

"Which one are we talking about now?"

"Dean."

"Ah yes… naturally." Raphael comments dryly.

"Perhaps Eve will be able to put him in his place?" Uriel suggested. Raphael smirked.

"Perhaps." He tilted his head suddenly, a frown coming to his handsome face. "**Bollocks**. Did you hear that?" Uriel frowned as well.

"Yes. Come, Brother, there is much to do and so very little time." With synchronicity the angels disappeared leaving only the slightest stirring of red dust in their wake.

* * *

A/N: Ta-da! Sorry for the long ass wait! I'm also slightly disgruntled by this chapter as it's a filler chapter and kind of fluffy at points, heh Castiel with a baby; I wonder if anyone could draw that for me? That would be friggin' awesome. Well anyway, I have to say that I did just finish the next chapter and it's really, extremely, ridiculously, long and very action packed. I'll have the next chapter up when I get the ninth chapter finished. Anyway… the school year is almost over with about a month and a half left! We have puppies at my work, and they're about two months old and friggin' adorable. I named the tiniest black puppy with a soulful gaze Casper, Cas for short. He always gives me kisses and confused looks every time I start talking to him. Oh man… so… SPOILERS AHEAD that is if you haven't watched the last four episodes… well, what did everyone think of the last few episodes? I thought 'Death Takes a Holiday' and 'On the Head of a Pin' were just brilliant, although both were upsetting in terms of DEATH! I cried a lot, I even shed a couple of tears for Alastair, although it more like, 'I can't believe that just fucking happened! How could Sam do that?' And Uriel… damn… I feel obligated to off him now and it kind of upsets me. But no worries, we still have Raphael! And the whole John reveal and the First Seal thing? _GUH_! Anyway… 'It's a Terrible Life' was also pretty good, it was a necessary episode in my opinion because the ending between Zachariah and Dean. And Sam? Hilarious when he has his 'Office Space' moment and quits, I miss non-demony and only slightly bitchy Sam. Speaking of which, the blood thing? With Ruby? **Ew**. As for 'The Monster at the End of This Book' was also another brilliant episode… Kripke gained points back with that one, mainly because Castiel is a sneaky, sneaky little bastard. And Lilith, **ew**. Although Chuck the Prophet was gold! I laughed when Dean was all, "What's slash?" And Sam explains it and Dean's just like, "Ew!" The Winchester Gospel, heh. Anyone else notice that Castiel has gotten a bit more humorous? He can now make funnies! But like crappy, dead pan angel funnies… I half-expect him to say, "That's what she said!" That seems to be his kind of humor… sadly. Well now we have a two week hiatus. Lame. Anyway to finish up this note… special thanks to lizzie queen, CG Craven, and glowinthedarkgnome for adding 'Absolution' to your lists.

Review Responses:

LostPhan3: It is my sincere belief that I will always update at odd times… Castiel is totally gay for Bobbeh! I do believe that an extremely Cracked out Plot Bunny has been born, aww… its so deformed and kind of ugly... ah the good old Bitch-Face 29 not to be confused with Bitch-Face 1-23 or 25-100000000000. Gee Sam sure has a lot of Bitch-Faces this season. I totally attempted making devil's trap cupcakes after I wrote about it to see if it was actually possible and it's only kind of possible, I mean you get the general outline but not that detail. I think a gigantic cake would fare better, but it would have to be pretty big cake… mmm cake. By the way, David Bowie=Love/Awesomeness. Andy! I totally miss him, he was definitely my favorite! Ava deserves to roast for all eternity, along with Lilith, Meg, Ruby (on the days I really really hate her) and every other evil wench! I cried a lot when he died. Sailor Moon is beloved favorite of mine… hehe… I was totally into it when I was a kid (and even a little now to be honest). When my friend and I played I was always Sailor Mars or Jupiter, Castiel would break down and cry if he ever met them. Hmmm… crack?

Writing Castiel's lines when he's being intense and just burning hot passionate is a guilty pleasure of mine, I would definitely go POOF-EXPLODEY if Castiel walked up to me and said any of things I write him as saying, if only I could be Chuck the Prophet… Anyway, Dean will get punished, not sure how yet but he will be, insert evil laugh here. Hehe… I fully admit that when I was trying to think of a suitable vessel for Raphael I was going through actors in my head and I almost settled for Orlando Bloom and instead was like, "Nah… Orlando Bloom is kind of a pussy at times… who is more badass with an accent? Heath Ledger." Oh my god. It seems that this little piece of literature (heh, right…) is spawning the Crack!Fics by the dozens! Believe me there is more Alastair to come. Lots and lots of Deliciously Evil Alastair. LMAO! Sam is being kind of a man slut and I have to wonder about the whole Lilith thing… I mean Chuck wrote it as passionately… hmm… Damn! Another CRACK idea… Connery vs. Castiel! Who will win? Ew… Chuck Bass/Ed Westwick… I was watching some promo with him in it and I was just like, ew. BLEGH! BARF! He has that dead-behind-the-eyes stare of a serial killer. No lie. Castiel should totally take his flaming sword to that series and crack some skulls! Oh my god! It was Bobby that Greg saved?! Now I totally have to re-watch that episode and squeal in joy! Jim Beaver is so many shows… he totally rocks. LOL I saw some clips from the Cherry Hill convention and there's one where Misha gets really annoyed by someone asking him to do something (I forget what) that he totally doesn't want to do and he growls, "I'm not your monkey!" It was adorable! I personally would ask him about the Tibetan Throat Singing, but I wouldn't ask him to do because I wouldn't want my eardrums assaulted by the sound of a goat being slaughtered. Or I would ask him if he thinks Castiel is getting funnier and if so what kind of humor does he think Castiel would be amused by? I don't know what I would ask Jared, I might say something like, "Why is Sam such a man slut for supernatural creatures? What the hell?! Are we going to find out that Jessica was a witch or some shit?"

JuliaAurelia: See? I told you I'd have it up by the end of the week! If you thought that was going to melt you're computer then just wait, the best has yet to come!

AnnabelleLee: LOL, fig Newton's… my mom doesn't like them but my sister does. She has this hoard of food in her room and there's like eight boxes of fig Newton's. The angels are totally going to making cookies soon. Well Castiel and Raphael at least, Uriel will stand to the side and mock them. I love 'Christ Chex'! I was at my dad's house a few months ago and he had some Chex and I picked up the box and totally blurted out, "Christ Chex! Start your day the holy way!" And my dad just gave me a blank look, it doesn't help that he's kind of really religious. Castiel would be horrified by Dane Cook! Adam is definitely around and oddly enough Raphael was originally going to be Adam but I thought it might be too soon. He'll show up, eventually.

AGRIMLIKEDOG: Well I'm glad you like "Absolution"! I'm curious about your pen name; does it have to do with Harry Potter?

Kate: Thanks! I like to think that I'm enabling people to actually visualize what's going on.

lizzie queen: Thank you very much! I'm always so uncertain if I'm actually getting Castiel right so it's always good to hear that I am!


	8. Here In My Room

Title: Absolution

Author: TigerTiger02

Chapter Title: Here in My Room

Spoilers: pretty much if you haven't seen any season four you probably shouldn't be reading this since Castiel is featured heavily. Pre-"I Know What You Did Last Summer"…. And considering this has been Kripke'd (although I've been working on it for a good month) I think you all know where this is heading…

Summary: Castiel's retrieves Sam and Dean for a mission from God. Guess they didn't expect it to be an Atomic-Bomb Girl. Shameless Castiel/OC.

Disclaimer: not mine, if it was I would totally take Castiel home as pet, he's just so darn cute!

Dedication: to Nikki, who has been here with me every step of the way, and to all the readers and reviewers, you totally make my life!

_This party is old and uninviting.  
Participants all in black and white.  
You enter in full-blown Technicolor.  
Nothing is the same after tonight._

_If the world were would fall apart  
in a fiction-worthy wind,  
I wouldn't change a thing now that you're here._

_Your love is a verb  
here in my room.  
Here in my room.  
Here in my room._

_You enter and close the door behind you.  
Now show me the world as seen from the stars.  
If only the lights would dim a little,  
I'm wary of eyes upon my scars._

_Pink tractor beam into your incision  
Head spinning as free as Dervish's whirl  
I came here expecting next to nothing  
So thank you for being "that" kind of girl_

_-"Here in My Room"- Incubus_

Isabella stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her with a firm tug. Wiping the condensation from the mirror she took a good, long look at herself. She looked the same, at least she thought she did but there was definitely something different. She couldn't pinpoint it exactly but something was different. Her gray eyes, which had always seemed so flat before now sparkled with threaded silver and they had depth and dimension in them. Her pale skin was rosy and flushed, she could have brushed it off as being the shower but even the stark bruises from getting tossed around by Sam (and that kid was just too friggin' freakishly big) seemed to be edged in a healthy glow. She just looked… healthier, happier, and… _in love_. Shaking her head she set about brushing her teeth and her hair. With a sigh she made sure the towel was properly in place before making her way to the basement, once more she had forgotten to grab her pajamas before taking her shower but at least she was wearing clean underwear, even if they were totally _non_-sexy cotton purple panties.

Once inside of the so-called panic room she closed the heavy iron door behind her and turned the lock, struggling to keep her towel from slipping to reveal any naughty-bits. When she turned back around she finally took in the sight of Castiel sitting with his back against the wall on the cot. His legs were pulled up onto the cot, folded up like a pretzel, a large book in his lap. His gaze was intent on the tome in front of him, his lips moving silently as he read and his brow furrowing with each sentence. And he was _very_ shirtless.

Isabella licked her lips as she drank in the rare sight of Castiel without a shirt on, hell he was just wearing a pair of boxers. His hair was still wet from his shower and it hung carelessly tousled. She bit her lip and shifted her weight from one foot to another. She mentally flipped through the amount of time they had technically been together (in this life at least) and realized with a shock that it had only been a month and a half.

She reflected for a moment on her past relationships and snorted when she realized that even a year into her longest relationship (with David) she hadn't felt as much as she now felt for Castiel. Maybe… she smiled slightly, maybe it was time. She had waited so long with other boyfriends and balked even when she thought that she might be ready to take the next, big logical step in a relationship. She nodded to herself; yes she was definitely ready for that next, big logical step with Castiel. Hell, she practically drooled anytime the angel was near and missing a piece of clothing. Isabella might not be ready to get angelfied but she was certainly ready to tango with Castiel.

As if sensing her deepest thoughts (which now that she thought about it Castiel was fairly capable of knowing even the vaguest, glimmer of a thought in her mind) Castiel looked up from the dusty book. Their eyes locked and for one, long silent moment they contemplated each other. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth and she took a deep breath before closing the eight foot distance between them. In the two seconds it took Castiel calmly closed the book and set on the floor, and then planted his feet firmly on the floor, just waiting for her to make the first move.

Isabella swung one leg up onto the cot, then the other, effectively straddling him and yet shyly keeping her modesty intact with the towel. She cupped her hands on either side of his face and for a moment just took in the features of the vessel he wore so easily. His bright eyes fixed readily on her own for a brief moment before she stroked the swell of his cheekbone with her thumb. Castiel's eyes fluttered closed, as if he were taking in every miniscule touch, his slightly chapped lips parting for a moment, his warm, sweet breath huffing across her face. (And for one stupid moment she thought of the first time his lips had touched hers, so long ago in her wreaked apartment with the sweet, spicy cinnamon smell of Castiel's breath.) The slightest stubble rasped under her touch and she buried her fingers in his silk, damp hair. She leaned down, brushing her lips with his in the barest, gossamer touch. And they were suspended in the moment, each secretly filing away the moment in the chambers of their heart.

Then Castiel surged forward, his lips pressing firmly against her own as his hands found her thighs, calloused fingers drawing patterns in the sensitive skin. She let out a soft sighing moan, breathless and trembling and he swallowed it up. Reluctantly he moved his hands to her hips and held firmly as the kiss deepened with a delicate swipe of his tongue on her bottom lip. His hands buried into her hair made her gasp and he drew back for a moment, just to whisper against her lips.

"Your hair is wet." He said softly and then slanted his mouth against her. She wonders if he has issues with wet hair but anymore thoughts she had were washed away by Castiel's mouth on her neck. Isabella barely registers the fact that Castiel has unwound the towel, tossing it to the floor.

Somehow she ends up lying on the cot, Castiel's fingers tracing every tiny scar and smooth curve. Then his mouth takes the same path and Isabella wonders if he purposely trying to drive her insane. In process he has shucked off her panties and she almost snaps her legs closed in shock at the speed of his achievement, but the gentle pressure on her knees stops her. She's not a virgin and for a moment she's embarrassed by this fact. If she knew what she knows now back then she would have never given it up. For once in her life she feels so ashamed that she's no pure maiden. The urge to crawl into a hole and die intensifies when she realizes that Castiel knows. She doesn't know how she knows that he knows but she's pretty sure that he knows.

"I'm sorry." She blurts out, blushing brightly and feeling sick with shame. Castiel pauses on his examination of her feet (her toe-nails painted silver) and flicks his eyes up to meet hers. His expression is serious and he contemplates her for a long moment, head tilting almost involuntarily. It has taken her awhile to realize that when he does that he is trying to listen in on the secret thoughts in her head. She draws back and he rights his head.

"About not being a virgin?" he finally voices in a question.

"Yes." She breaths out and suddenly ashamed of her body she curls into a ball, trying to cover every inch of immodest flesh displayed. He smiles, quick and reassuring.

"Do you honestly think I care of your previous relationships?" he asks, concern shining in his storm colored eyes.

"Yes." She squeaks out. And Castiel does something she's never seen or heard him do. He snorts back a laugh.

"My silly, _silly_ lover." He shakes his head and leans forward, she shrinks back but he follows. Lips brushing the shell of her ear he speaks. "I don't care who you've been with before me. This is our first time and I know your feelings for me and I know how you felt with them. I adore, cherish and above all, love you. Nothing before matters." And then he kissed her long, deep and slow. Before she knows it they're back on track as he shucks his boxers and she feels a heated flush creeping through her body. _Oh my._

He's slow, careful, and he's hard and silken; already this time feels better then the last. There is no taint of wrongness in the situation, and she can honestly say that she is feeling what she is expressing with her breathy moans. There is no porn star faking. His lips brush her ear as his whispers to her in a language she doesn't know. She brings her knees up and hooks her ankles on his hips, moaning and arching delicately. His fingers once more trace every tiny scar, every smooth curve, and grip her hips tightly.

"We forgot…" she begins, thinking suddenly of the forgotten condom. Idiot, she berates herself. Knowing her _abnormal_ luck she would either end up pregnant or with some angelic STD.

"Shhh… do not fret." He whispers and shifts slightly, she opens her mouth to protest but a strangled cry is ripped out of her mouth instead. Castiel's fingers leave her hips to wander, touching behind her knee gently and brushing the side of her breast. Isabella feels connected to him; she can feel his wonderment of this complex human action, his brilliant love, and uncertainty. She can feel every minute twitch and shudder in his body. Her senses are heightened, almost painfully so. She can feel every fiber in the coarse sheets. She can feel the bite of cool metal springs against her back. She can feel the trails of heat Castiel leaves in the wake of his touch.

There are so many human emotions that she can feel, not all of them her own. It is a torrent of anger, sadness, love, lust, happiness and aching longing. Something inside of her is cracking and breaking open with every touch from Castiel. A flower unfurling its petals to greet the sunshine, this is how she feels. The words coming from her mouth are a rapid waterfall of a whispered prayer. Isabella feels the seal upon her Grace crack open a little more and she feels connected to the world. It's a jolting, disconcerting feeling that leaves her gasping for air.

Her fingers clutch at the threadbare sheets and find no leverage there so she weaves her fingers around the hard metal of the cot. Still it's not enough, she needs to touch him. She needs to run her fingers across silken skin, the pads of her fingers catching slightly where sweat has gathered. His lips brush against her lips, her cheeks, her neck and he's still whispering in a low, reverent voice. There's this tight, knotted heat filling her up and she knows she's about to break. She doesn't notice the light seeping from her skin, or the soft glow from his. She doesn't notice how the color of his eyes is shot with something pure, silver, and holy. She doesn't notice that for just a moment she understands what he's whispering, and its something beautiful, something lovely and loving and wonderful.

There's something inside of her rising up, tearing through her body like lightning. The world is breaking apart at the seams; she's breaking apart at the seams. She realizes that after this she will never be the same, not because she'll finally be an angel, she won't be (she knows Castiel will never betray her trust and the words he had been whispering in a language she didn't know were probably terms of endearment). Still there's a burst of Technicolor light from behind her eyelids as she arches her back and cries out his name and for one breathless moment she feels absolutely connected to everything, divine and immortal, ordinary and ephemeral. For just a split second she hears a chorus of startled voices in her head and she almost transcends her body, wings struggling to break free but the tightening of Castiel's hand on his mark bring her back down.

Forehead to forehead they stare into each others eyes minutes later when she learns how the breath again and trembling in her limbs lessens. Then she begins to giggle slightly.

"Oh _wow_." She mumbles. Castiel grins back at her, the wide smile taking away the almost permanent grave expression on his face.

"Perhaps we should shower again?" he half asks and Isabella laughs at the absurdity of the statement. As if she could even walk right now, she's already sinking into the jelly like post-coital bliss.

"Sleep now. Shower later." She mumbles into his chest after he moved off of her.

"Yes, my dear." He agrees and pulls the covers completely over them. The lantern that is too far away to reach extinguishes itself and she sleepily kisses beneath his jaw before the world falls away.

* * *

She is awoken by soft rustling and low voices.

"Cas?" she murmurs with confusion when she realizes that he is not in bed with her anymore. She blinks at the soft light of the lantern and looks around the room. Sitting up she finally spots Castiel across the room, ugly-ass trench coat in hand. He's wearing his vessel's clothing. He's wearing his vessel's clothing and standing across from Uriel who gazes at her with barely concealed disdain. Thankfully she's holding the blankets to her chest but shame still burns through her body.

"Isabella." Uriel says his voice respectful despite the fact that he clearly would rather not say anything to her at all.

"Uriel. I'd say its good to see you but I try not to make a habit out of lying." She says before turning her gaze to Castiel.

"Cas? What's going on?"

"There is something important that I must do." He says and she notices that he's not saying anything else.

"What is it?" she asks.

"Nothing that is your concern." Uriel says bluntly and Castiel looks pained for a moment before he schools his features.

"I will be back soon." He promises and drops a kiss on her head.

"Cas, what-?"

"Don't worry." He cuts her off easily and she blinks at him, feeling hurt.

"_Cas_-!" but they're gone before she can say anything else. For a long numb moment she sits there stunned.

Castiel has taken off without explanation and left her here. _Alone_.

For a moment, just a moment she feels depression clawing at her, trying to drag her down but Isabella fights it off. Okay so the guy that she just had mind-blowing sex with up and disappears on her with no explanation, she can either get sad, get mad, or play it off like she doesn't care. She chooses the latter. Getting depressed with only hurt her and getting angry would only hurt others.

Throwing off the crappy sheets she gathers some clothing, a grey hooded sweatshirt, a threadbare Loop FM t-shirt and a pair of warm pink and black plaid pajama pants. She pulls on the clothing and pulls her hair into a messy braid before sitting down on the cot. She knows that she probably won't get any sleep without assistance. She doesn't have her Ambien because she had been sleeping a lot better lately. She doesn't want to drink because she'll probably drink too much and besides she has never slept well after drinking.

The only option is hidden away in one of her duffle bags. She licks her lips and stares at the duffle, she is sure that it is mocking her. With a groan she drags herself over to it and rummages around, finding the 'secret zipper' and withdraws a crumpled pack of cigarettes. It's been a month since she quit because Castiel had asked her too. She licked her lips and sighed. Even though she had kicked a majority of her bad habits she had never been able to kick smoking. Isabella hated to think that anyone would view her as another burn-out but the fact was that beneath the veneer of calm she showed at the moment she was a mess of raw nerves and feelings that were _not_ her own. She slipped on her slippers and unlocked the heavy door. She's confident that the nicotine in the cigarettes will calm her enough.

Isabella tiptoes through the living room, watching both Dean and Sam for any sign that they might wake up. Sam was flung across the couch, a tiny line of drool crusting at the corner of his mouth. His large feet dangle off the edge and one hand brushes the floor. She snorted back a laugh and glanced at Dean. The elder Winchester was lying on his stomach, a slight frown twisting his full lips. One hand is tucked under the pillow and his bicep is flexed which makes her believe that he's clutching at a knife or a gun under the pillow. She spots a glint of silver peaking out from his nearby duffle bag. It's a flask. While it seemed that his sleep was less then peaceful it also seemed unlikely that he would wake up anytime soon. Finally she settled herself onto the front porch with a groan of relief. A second later she stiffened when someone else stepped out onto the porch.

Eve stood backlit in the doorway.

"Hey." She said softly before delicately lowering herself to the stairs where Isabella sat.

"Castiel left." Isabella said dully. Eve shot her a startled look but said nothing. "We… we had sex and then he had to leave on some big important mission. He wouldn't tell me anything about it." Isabella glanced down at the cigarette that she twirled between her fingers before bringing it to her lips. "Men, right? Always know how to drive a girl back to their addictions." She said in a sweet tone before she lit the coffin nail.

They sat like that for awhile, neither of them saying much at all just passing the package with the rapidly dwindling amount of cigarettes in it. Both froze when the door opened behind them and Dean stood there, sleepily staring down at them.

"Oh. Uh. I hope I'm not interrupting anything." He said awkwardly while backing away. The girls laughed and Eve patted the empty space next to her.

"Sit Dean Winchester. We were just talking. Would you like to join us?" She asked. Dean hesitated for a moment before sitting. Eve passed him her cigarette and he sucked some down, holding it in for a moment before exhaling with a slight cough.

"_Whoa_. Haven't done that in awhile." Dean commented. "So what's the occasion?"

"Castiel and I finally did the deed and then he took off with his man-buddy." Isabella said bitterly. Dean blinked.

"He just took off?" he asked finally. Eve shot him a look and Dean shrugged.

"He refused to tell me what it was all about." Isabella said with a hurt tone before standing up. "I need to be alone." She announced and made her way back to the panic room.

Inside the room she sits heavily on the cot. For a long moment she did nothing but stare across the room at the lantern that had been left on. With slow, delicate movements, befit a woman three times her age she shuffled across the room, suddenly so weary, and switched the lantern off. In the darkness she curled into herself on the thin cot and stifled the sobs that clawed up her throat and battered at her lips.

* * *

Two weeks, it had been two weeks since Castiel had up and disappeared and the numb hole in her chest was getting larger with each passing day. Tonight she would dance her troubles away at a local club that Eve insisted they go to. Neither of the boys had ever been to it but there were pool tables for them to hustle and beer for them to drink so neither of them really minded.

She rummaged through her clothing before pulling out a pair of skin tight black jeans and a purple silk halter top. Throwing on a black leather biker jacket and a pair of four inch heeled black boots Isabella checked her reflection, tousling her purposely messy (sex) hair and pouting the mirror. She looked good but she felt like shit. Just when she thought things between her and Castiel were starting to get straightened out, that they were finally connecting, this happens. She knows that the reason Castiel left was probably extremely important but she had to wonder why he hasn't at least popped in to at least let her know if he's alright.

"So how was the job?" Isabella asks Dean as she nurses a beer. She's leaning against the bar, sweat slicked from dancing and taking a breather before she dives back into the crowd. Dean glances towards her and cocks an eyebrow. Sam and Dean had just gotten back from the job in Washington State when Castiel had taken off. She was sure that they had spoken to both Bobby and Eve about it but until now Isabella had taken little interest in the going-ons around her.

"It went fine. Except for the_ giant friggin' suicidal teddy bear_…" Dean trails off and glances towards Eve who is dancing with a tall brunette. Isabella follows his gaze and smirks. Eve is twined around the thin man-puppy-boy wearing a pair of skin tight black jeans and a red tank top.

"Wow, look at Eve." Isabella says slyly, noticing the darkened, jealous glint in Dean's eyes, the compulsive tightening of his hand around the neck of the bottle he holds, and the setting of his jaw. "Someone is gonna get lucky tonight." She nearly laughs when Dean gives a little growl.

"No way will Bobby let that _douche _into the house." Dean says confidently.

"Yeah well they could always go back to his place." Isabella points out. Dean slams his bottle down on the bar.

"I'll be back." He grunts out, heading towards the bathroom. Isabella shrugs and finishes her drink before slinking back to the crowd.

Two hours later Eve is leaning towards her, eyes fixed on Dean who is watching Sam sloppily play pool.

"What do you think of Dean?" she asks in a hushed voice as they perch on stools. Isabella hides her smirk behind her drink and answers slowly.

"What do _I _think of Dean?" she repeats musingly. "I think Dean is still coping with hell… and I think having someone to lean on might help, even if he thinks that he can tough guy it out. I think Dean-." But Isabella never got around to finishing her thought because at that moment Sam turned his head towards one of the doors and his eyes went wide. Sam stiffened and put down the pool cue, murmuring something to guy he was playing. Isabella feels a tingle up her spine and she turns seeing Dean getting in the face of a twenty-something woman. Eve frowns at her and they go to the trio.

"I just have some info, and then I'm gone." The woman says, her large dark eyes flickering between Sam and Dean. Isabella glances down at her hand and isn't shocked to find that there is light seeping from her skin. She can only come to one conclusion. The pretty woman with the full, too-generous mouth, button-nose and serious expression is host to a demon. Eve is tense by her side, hand clenched but Isabella touches her shoulder briefly before moving to stand next to Dean.

"Hello, and who are you then? Other then a demon that is?" Isabella asks with an innocent cock of her head. The woman jerks back and her expression changes from nonchalance to panic in a second. Her dark brown eyes flicker to black and back for a few seconds before she regains control.

"Who the _hell _are you?" she snarls out.

"Isabella, I'd shake your hand but I don't want to burn it off unless I'm sure." Isabella says cheerfully. The demon's eyes widen and she takes a step back.

"_Holy _shit. You're… but… you're not… and…" she trails off. "I'm Ruby." She finally says.

"The one with the knife. The one that Sam trusts and Dean doesn't. Right now I'll reserve judgment because I'm curious about you but misstep and… well let's just say it will be your last misstep. Continue please, I'd like to hear your info." Isabella doesn't feel any major threat from Ruby and decides that for now she'll leave the demon alone.

"Ruby, what is it?" Sam asks gently. Ruby glances towards Eve and cringes slightly.

"Oh great, you too huh?" She mutters before turning back to Sam. "I've been hearing a few whispers."

"Ooh, great, demon whisperers, because that's _oh so _reliable." Dean says sarcastically.

"A girl named Anna Milton escaped from a locked ward yesterday. The demons seem pretty keen on finding her. Apparently, some real heavy hitters turned out for the Easter-egg hunt." Sam gives her a puzzled look.

"Why? Who is she?" he asks. Isabella frowns, wondering if demons being after this girl had anything to do with Castiel's mysterious mission.

"I have no idea." Ruby admits ruefully. "But I'm thinking that she's important, because the order is to capture her alive. I just figured that whatever the deal is, you might want to find this girl before the demons do."

"Eve, do you recognize the name?" Isabella asks and Eve sighs, closing her bright blue eyes for a moment to think.

"No." she says bluntly. "Although with demons after her she could know some things that they might want to know."

"Well we should check it out, shouldn't we?" Sam asks, glancing around the group.

"Actually we're working a case, but thanks." Dean says.

"What case?" Ruby asks, looking around the bar as if something supernatural were about to happen.

"Uh, we've got leads, _big _leads…"

"Sounds dangerous." Ruby says and Eve laughs slightly.

"There is no case obviously." Ruby grins at her.

"Yeah I figured as much, big leads my ass."

"Yeah well I don't think we should be goose chasing after some chick who, for all we know, doesn't even exist, just because you say she's important." Dean snarls out.

"I'm just delivering the news. You can do whatever you want with it. Far as I'm concerned, I told you, I'm done." Ruby states blandly. "Look it was nice to meet you two, I guess since you haven't attempted to kill me… _yet_." She says before turning back to the door.

"Wait, wait, wait. This hospital Anna escaped from, does it have a name?" Sam asks.

* * *

"Why did I let you two talk me into letting you tag along?" Dean asked as Sam spoke to someone on the phone. "You know Cas is going to kill me if he finds out that you're unprotected out here."

"I'm with a guy who got a get out of hell pass and a guy with demon blood who can exorcise demons with his mind. I think I'll be _fine_." Isabella said moodily.

"Besides I think we could be some assistance on this hunt. Sure there's demons but you've seem to have forgotten that I can bleed them out and Isabella can burn 'em to extra crispy original recipe." Eve pointed out.

"Anna Milton's definitely real." Sam announces as he shuts his phone.

"That doesn't mean the case is real. Besides the hospital's a three-day drive." Dean said nonchalantly. In the backseat Eve and Isabella exchange looks.

"We've driven further for less, Dean. You got something say? Say it." Sam says moodily.

"Oh I'm saying it, this sucks."

"You're not pissed we're going after the girl. You're pissed Ruby threw us the tip."

"Right, because as far as you're concerned, the hell-bitch is practically family. Yeah, _boy_, something major must've happened while I was downstairs, because I come back and you're BFF with a demon? What the hell Sam?"

"Guys maybe you should wait until you're alone before you start in on this fight. I mean-." Eve gets cut off quickly.

"No. We're supposed to be protecting you and I think if you guys want to trust Ruby maybe we all need to know why we should trust that skank-bitch."

"I told you, she helped me go after Lilith." Sam said bluntly.

"Well, thanks for the thumbnail, real vivid. You want to fill in a little detail?"

"Sure, Dean, let's trade stories. You first. How was hell? Don't spare the details." Isabella sucked in a breath while Eve cringed. Sam seemed to realize his mistake and he launched into his story.

While they continue their drive Sam tells about how he tried to bargain with a Crossroad Demon while drunk. How the demon had refused him and Sam tried to persuade him. The demon finally revealing that it didn't matter that Lilith wanted Sam dead, they had Dean exactly where they wanted him. Sam stopped after all, lapsing into silence and no one pressed him for the rest of the story. He was probably reliving the awful memories and needs a few hours before he continued on.

* * *

While the boys investigate at the hospital Eve and Isabella wait in the car.

"What do you think?" Isabella asks Eve.

"About what?"

"About Ruby." Eve's silent for a moment.

"It's hard to tell. I've asked both Sam and Dean about her and since their opinions are so biased its hard to get anything of worth from them. Sam thinks she's trying to help and maybe that isn't so much as good but more morally grey. Dean hates her."

"And _you_?"

"In the brief five minutes I was near her? She's a demon. She's been a demon for awhile; I mean she's still a baby compared to some I've seen since she's only been a demon since the Plague, or at least dead since the Plague. But there's definitely a tinge of humanity to her. She remembers what its like to be human. I think… I think she really does have the best of intentions for Sam. I think she cares for him in the only way she can."

"So you don't think Dean is being an overprotective jackass?" Isabella asked. Eve sighed.

"I think Dean's doing what Dean always does, protect Sam at all costs. He views Ruby as a major threat and I don't think he's wrong exactly but I do think that maybe he should give a little leeway. And what do you think oh angelic one?" Isabella snorted.

"She's a demon but I didn't get the_ tear-my-skin-off-scream-and-cry-and-fucking-run_ feeling that I got with Lilith or her minions. I just felt a little on edge. I think she's trying the best she can and she has good intentions but well, you know." Eve gave her a blank look. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions. We'll watch her, and I like I said, if she takes one little misstep it will be her last." Eve nodded and twisted slightly in her seat.

"So how much action do you think this backseat has seen?" She asked conversationally and Isabella winced and lifted her hand off the seat delicately.

"Probably enough to make me want to shower with bleach after I have to spend a prolonged amount of time in it."

"Yeah but Dean probably cleans it afterward, right?" Isabella shook her head.

"Well if Sam and Ruby were sleeping together, which I would bet my wings they were, I sure as shit hope that they stuck to motel rooms strictly." They exchanged grimaces and both of them stepped out of the Impala. Isabella lit a cigarette and lifted her face to the sky, soaking in the meager December sunshine.

"You think…" Eve trailed off and Isabella turned her face away from the sun to view her best friend. "I mean… I know I've been around the block a few times, I have been reincarnated more times then I can count and Adam and I had a lot of children but I mean." Eve flushed and fumbled with her lighter while looking down at her hands. She took a deep breath and continued. "I've been around for so long and I've been so alone. Adam and I… we don't speak anymore. It's been years since I've seen him and even longer since I loved him. We used to be so close and after we got cast out of Eden…" she closed her eyes and bit her lip. "It was never the same. And Dean… Dean makes me feel the same things I felt for Adam but more intense. It's stupid I know. Dean is supposed to saving the world. I'm supposed to be protecting you. There's this big, enormous web we're all entangled in and we have to be warriors. We have to fight and there's no guarantee that we'll all come out of this alive and kicking…" she trailed off and sighed. "I'm an idiot. I'm just going to go crawl into a dark hole and die." Isabella took a deep breath.

"No. Now you're being an idiot. I think you should do it. I mean I think that you should get over this shit and when we're done with this hunt I think you should drag Dean into a dark corner and kiss him silly. I've seen you two around each other, its sickeningly cute how you act around each other. You're both so ridiculous about it. Besides I think that Dean needs an older and grounded woman." Isabella shrugged. "But what the hell can I say; I don't even remember how Cas and I were way back when. I want to now… I just want to remember what it was like to have wings and speak to God and feel anything but defenseless and weak. I just don't know if I can do it. Sometimes… sometime I wonder if I'm crazy." She laughed weakly and drew her arms around herself. Thinking of Castiel made her heart ache. Thankfully their conversation was cut short by Sam and Dean striding out of the doors. Isabella straightened and flicked her cigarette into a nearby ashtray.

"What did you guys find out?" Eve asked.

"Well her delusions started two months ago and she drew sketches of the Raising of the Witnesses and Samhain." Sam said and showed them the notebook.

"Interesting, two months ago?" Eve asked with a frown.

"Yeah just about." Dean confirmed. "Why?"

"Dean what were you doing two months ago?" Isabella said, her head cocking slightly, grey eyes narrowing in on him. He paled.

"Shit. You think she's somehow connected to all of this?"

"Why not? Maybe she's a late blooming psychic and she's been seeing what's going on. Maybe your resurrection sent out some kind of spiritual energy wave that resonated, and it somehow woke up any latent abilities."

"Yeah but we're no where near Pontiac." Sam pointed out.

"Cas leveled an extremely large amount of forest with the sheer force of it. A volcano erupting can spread ash and debris miles around, is it entirely impossible that something of this spiritual and supernatural magnitude would have this kind of ripple effect?" Eve points out, supporting Isabella's point. Dean sighed.

"Damn. We have to find her before the demons do. Come on, get in the car, I have theory."

* * *

"Maybe they're not home." Eve says as Dean knocks again.

"No, both cars are in the driveway." Sam points out.

"Screw it." Dean says and tries the door. It's unlocked. They step through "Mr. and Mrs. Milton? We're from the sheriff's department!"

"We just want to ask you a couple of questions." Sam continues on. Eve lets out a muffled scream from behind her hands which she had slapped over her mouth. Dean cringes and grabs her by her shoulders, turning her face into his chest.

"Don't look Isa-." But Isabella is already staring at the bodies, face as pale as cold milk.

"_Demons_." She hisses out, hands clenched and unclenched, still looking at the bodies even though she looks like she's about to hurl. "I can smell their reeking stench."

"Sulphur." Sam confirms as he kneels next to the bodies. "The demons beat us here. Whatever the deal is this Anna girl-?"

"Yeah, they want her. They're not screwing around." Dean says with a nod. "All right, so I'm 'Girl, Interrupted' and I know the score of the apocalypse, just busted out of the nut-box… possibly using superpowers, by the way. Where do I go?" Dean asks as he shifts through some mail with one hand.

"Eve maybe you should wait in the car." Sam says gently.

"I'm fine here." She snarled into Dean's chest, unwilling to look at the splayed corpses. Sam nods quietly and picks up a family picture.

"Hey, you got those sketches from Anna's notebook?"  
"Yeah." Dean says and gently extracts the sketches from one of his pockets.

"Let me see them…" Sam rifles through them for a moment before holding up a drawing of a stained glass rose window. "Check this out." Dean looks between the photo and the drawing, realization dawning on him.

"She was drawing the window of her church."

"Over and over. If you were religious, scared and had demons on your ass, where would you go to feel safe?"

"Let's go."

* * *

The church is strangely silent; normally in such a sanctuary the silence would be welcoming, it would be soothing and calming. Instead it sets Sam's teeth on edge, the silence is eerie and _creepy _and it makes his stomach turn. How can no one be here? They search each level methodically before finally slinking upstairs to the attic. Behind him he can hear Eve's even breathing and feels the static burst of power from Isabella. The ex-angel is throwing off that weird glow again and it always freaks him out. He wonders that if she should touch him while her skin is leaking Grace everywhere if she would find out his dark secrets. He hopes not. Beside him Dean is restlessly searching with his eyes. Sam spots the hidden figure first.

"Dean." He points his gun towards it. "Anna?" he calls louder and he exchanges glances with Dean. Simultaneously they put away their guns and Sam creeps closer. "We're not gonna hurt you. We're here to help. My name is Sam. This is my brother, Dean. Behind us are our friends, Eve and Isabella."

Slowly the girl emerges. She thin with sharp features, large hazel eyes, and a generous mouth. Her hair is fiery red.

"Sam? Not Sam Winchester?" Sam falters for a moment and wonder what she's seen.

"Uh yeah." He says tentatively.

"And you're Dean. _The _Dean?" she asks as she fixes her gaze on Dean.

"Well yeah… _The _Dean, I guess." Dean answers.

"And Eve and Isabella?" she questions.

"Yup." Eve answers but Isabella stays silent. Sam wonders at her lack of response but Isabella's eyes have a slightly glazed look. Anna turns her gaze back to Dean.

"It's really you. Oh, my god. The angels talk about you. You were in hell, but Castiel pulled you out, and some of them think you can help save us. And some of them don't like you at all. They talk about you all the time lately. I feel like I know you." She babbles out nervously.

"So you talk to angels?" Dean asks curiously.

"Oh no. No, no way. Uhm, they probably don't even know I exist. I just kind of… overhear them I guess."

"You overhear them?" Sam questions.

"Yeah, they talk and sometimes I just… hear them in my head…" she trails off looking nervous.

"Like right now?" Eve asks.

"No right this second but a lot. And I can't shut them out, there are so many of them." She sighs and looks tired for a moment. "They talk about you guys a lot actually…"

"So, they lock you up with a case of the crazies when really you were just… tuning in to angel radio?"

"Yes, thank you. I've been trying to figure out a way to put that doesn't sound so crazy." She give him a tentative smile and Sam realizes with a jolt that she probably hero worships Dean if he's all the angels talk about.

"Anna, when did the voices start? Do you remember?" He just has to follow Isabella and Eve's theory.

"I can tell you exactly, September 18th." She says with certainty. Dean glances sidelong at Sam before speaking.

"The day I got out of hell."

"First words I heard clear as a bell '_Dean Winchester is saved_'."

"What do you think?" Dean asks and Sam shrugs.

"Its above my pay grade, man."

"My question is what caused it?" Eve asks.

"Supernatural shockwave?" Sam says with a shrug.

"Well, at least now we know why the demons want you so bad. They get a hold of you; they can hear everything the other side's cooking. You're 1-900-Angel."

"Makes sense." Isabella inputs. Sam finds himself worrying slightly; the sheer luminosity of her skin is throwing the room into shadows. Surely this is a defense mechanism and surely it should be turned off.

"Hey, do you know, I mean are my parents okay? I-I didn't go home. I was afraid…" before Sam can say anything; because he can certainly break the news better then Dean, Ruby skids into the attic, a panicked look on her face.

"You got the girl. Good, let's go."

"Oh my god! Her _face_!" Anna said, drawing back in shock. Well, Sam thought that explains how she's been able to get away from demons.

"It's okay. She's here to help." He says soothingly.

"Yeah, don't be so sure." Dean mutters and Sam shoots him a frustrated look.

"Shut up, Dean." Eve hisses.

"We have to hurry." Ruby says urgently.

"Why?" Dean balks slightly. Sometimes Sam wishes Dean wasn't so damn stubborn.

"Because a demon's coming, a big-timer. We can fight later, Dean."

"Well, that's pretty convenient, showing up right when we find the girl with some big wig on your tail?"

"Shut up Dean." Isabella says tightly and Sam flinches slightly when he looks at her. Even Ruby averts her eyes. Her eyes are shot with silver and sparks are thrown off her skin. "Whoever it is they're already too close and they're top-dogs. I couldn't do anything to Lilith so it's doubtful I can do anything to them."

"Well I didn't bring him here. You did." Ruby snarls angrily.

"What?" Dean asks.

"He followed you from the girl's house. We have got to go now." Even as she says this Sam knows it's too late. The statue of the Virgin Mary is crying blood.

"It's too late. He's here." Ruby repeats his very thoughts. Sam might be able to hold the demon off but they need Anna out of sight.

"Okay, stay in here. Don't move." He instructs as he ushers her into a closet.

"No, Sam, you've got to pull him right away." Ruby says softly and Sam winces. He's so out of practice.

"Whoa, hold on a sec!" Dean protests.

"Now's not the time to bellyache about Sam going dark side. He does his thing he exorcises that demon, or we die." The demon waltzes, as he doesn't have a care in the world. The meat-suit he's wearing looks like a once mild mannered man. His nose looks like it's been broken, his mouth is held in a cruel, firm line. He wears a bland outfit with neatly salt and pepper combed hair. Sam holds up his hand, pushing at the demon but… nothing happens.

"That _tickles_…" the demon lisps out. "You don't have the juice to take me on, Sam." And that's when Sam begins to panic, right about when the demon tosses him down the stairs.

He's clawing his way back up when Dean attacks the demon with Ruby's knife but the demon merely bats him away.

"Hello again, _Dean_." He purrs out. Sam moves aside to let Ruby flee with Anna. Dean gives the demon a confused look.

"Come on, Dean. Don't you recognize me? Oh, I forgot, I'm wearing a pediatrician. But we were _so _close… _in hell_." The demon's hissing voice is sibilant and Sam wonders if it's the human who sounds like that or if this is what the demon always sounds like.

"_Alastair_." Dean says in a hushed and slightly terrified voice. Sam has never heard or seen Dean like this. He glances towards Eve who has one hand flung out but Alastair bats her away mentally. Isabella on the other hand looks sickened.

"Hey! Why don't you pick on someone with a bit more juice!" Isabella yells angrily and the demon turns, blinking at her for a second.

"My, my, Castiel let you out all by your lonesome with _no _protection. Not very smart of him… but it works in _my _favor. Lilith will be most pleased." Alastair makes a move towards Isabella and Sam takes his chance, leaping at the demon. He stabs him with Ruby's knife but the demon flings him off.

"You're gonna have to try a whole lot harder than that, son." He mocks as he rips out the knife. Dean and Sam take the chance they have as Eve and Isabella have already fled down the stairs. They barrel through the window and Sam just knows he's going to have some painful, quick fix, sutures to do in the future.

* * *

Isabella stumbles through the motel room door, Sam leaning heavily against her. She helps him to one of the beds and collapses.

"Jeez, you're bleeding like a stuck pig." She says with a wrinkle of her nose.

"Can you sew?" he asks as Eve helps Dean into the room. Dean opens up the bottle of cheap whiskey they had gotten and takes a long pull from the bottle. He holds his left arm gingerly.

"Not very well…" Isabella admits. Sam sighs and glances down at the wounds on his arm, still bleeding freely.

"Fuck it, what's one more scar?" Sam says and tells her where to find their first aid kit. Eve is hovering nervously around Dean.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" She asks.

"Can you set a dislocated shoulder?" he asks with a cocked eyebrow.

"No…" she sighs out. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, Sam will show you. If you guys are going to start coming on hunts with us then you need to learn this stuff." Eve's eyes brighten slightly at the prospect.

"I think I might have some pretty heavy duty painkillers in my bag…" she murmurs.

"Nah. Whiskey is fine. We'll save those for when we really need them." Behind them Sam gives out a groan of pain.

"Sorry! Sorry! This is _nothing _like sewing through fabric!" Isabella says with a slightly hysterical edge to her voice. A few minutes pass by in silence as Isabella concentrates on sewing up Sam's nasty cut and Eve examines Dean for any cuts she can bandage. Dean swishes his mouth with the whiskey and spits it out in the sink, a mixture of alcohol and blood.

"Are you almost done?" Dean asks Isabella.

"Look, I'm going as fast I can!" she hisses out. "This is a lot harder then anyone would believe!"

"Well hurry up because I got a dislocated shoulder over here." Dean growls while wincing slightly as he moves about the room.

"Yeah, I'll pop it back when she's finished." Sam mutters through clenched teeth. Isabella finishes within moments as she cuts the remaining string. "Give me that." Sam says while nodding towards the bottle of whiskey. Dean hands it off and Sam pours it over his wound, wincing and hissing in pain.

"So you lost the magic knife, huh?" Dean says as he takes a long pull the whiskey bottle. Eve snatches it from him and takes a pull as well.

"Yeah, saving your ass. Who the hell was that demon?" No one notices how Isabella pales at the mention of Alastair.

"No one good. We have got to find Anna." Dean murmurs.

"Okay watch what I do…" he murmurs to Eve and Isabella. Both girls have been extraordinarily silent the entire time. "Ruby's got her. I'm sure she's okay. All right. Come on." Dean kneels, bracing himself against the bed and Sam moves behind him, hands gently settling in position. "On three… _one_…" and he snaps Dean's shoulder back into place. Dean grimaces and groans loudly, pulling away from Sam and holding his arm in pain for a moment.

"Fuck!" he hisses. After a few moments he begins to speak again. "You sure about Ruby? Because I think it's just as likely she used us to find radio girl and then brought that demon in to kill us." Isabella snorts.

"Unlikely." She mutters.

"No," Sam agrees. "She took Anna to keep her safe."

"Yeah." Dean scoffs. "Well, why hasn't she called to tell us where she is?"

"Because that demon is probably watching us right now, waiting to follow us right back to Anna again. That's why he let us go."

"You call this letting us go?" Dean asks.

"Sam's right." Isabella says loudly. "Castiel mentioned Alastair, once, when Raphael came for a visit. Alastair's a viper."

"Exactly. Look, killing us would've been no problem, to that thing. That's why, for now, we just got to lay low and wait for Ruby to contact us."

"Yeah and how's she gonna do that? And why do you trust her so much?" Dean asks, pressing for more of the story.

"I told you."

"You got to do better than that. I'm not trying to pick a fight here. I mean, I really want to understand. But I need to know more. I mean, I deserve to know more."

"Because she saved my life."

Sam once more launches into his story of when Dean was dead. He tells them about how Ruby showed up with another demon, how she was supposed to kill him but instead she killed her partner. He tells them of how she got her 100 percent recycled body and how she offered to teach him how to use his powers to kill Lilith. It's only when he starts talking about hooking up with her that Dean speaks.

"Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"Too much information."

"Hey, I told you I was coming clean."

"Yeah but now I feel dirty. Okay, well brain-stabbing imagery aside… so far, all you've told me about is a manipulative bitch who screwed you, played mind games with you, and did everything in the book to get you to go bad."

"Yeah, well, there's more to the story." Sam says evenly.

"Just… skip the nudity, please."

Sam continues on about finding signs Lilith was nearby and how he went after her half-cocked with a crappy plan. And upon finding Lilith he also found a trap and how Ruby came after him.

"Ruby came back for me… whatever you have to say, she saved me. More than that, she got through to me. What she said to me… it's what you would've said. It if wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here."

"Well I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt…" Isabella admits. Dean opens his mouth to say something but a knock on the door interrupts him.

"Housekeeping."

"Not now!"

"Sir, I've got clean towels." Dean sighs and opens the door. The maid, a rotund black woman pushes past him.

"Couldn't you just leave them at the door?" Dean asks, glancing around the room, hoping she doesn't notice any of their blood stained clothing.

"I'm at this address." She says and shoves a piece of paper into Sam's hands.

"I'm sorry. What?" Sam asks.

"Go now. Go through the bathroom window, don't stop, don't take your car, don't pass go. There are demons in the hallway and in the parking lot."

"Ruby?" Sam asks incredulously.

"Okay, yes, so I'm possessing this maid for a hot minute. Sue me." She says sarcastically.

"What about…" Sam trails off.

"Coma girl? Slowly rotting on the floor back at the cabin with Anna, so I've got to hurry back. See you when you get there. _Go_!"

* * *

Ruby ushered everyone into the decrepit cabin, her eyes flashing black briefly when she saw Isabella.

"Glad you could make it." Ruby said nonchalantly.

"Yeah… thanks." Sam muttered before he moved towards Anna. "Anna, are you okay?" Anna nodded slowly.

"Yeah I think so. Ruby's not like other demons. She saved my life."

"Yeah, I hear she does that…" Dean muttered before turning to Ruby. "I guess I… you know." He flushed a little and glanced at a stretch of empty wall.

"What?" Ruby asked, confusion shining on her borrowed face.

"I guess I owe you for… Sam. And just… I want to… you know?" Dean stumbled over his thanks and Ruby rolled her eyes.

"Don't strain yourself."

"Okay then. Is the moment over?" Ruby nodded enthusiastically. "Good because that was awkward." Isabella rolled her eyes at the pair of them before moving around the cabin, grey eyes taking in everything quickly. So far she wasn't glowing like glow stick at a rave so that had to be good.

"Hey, Sam, you think it'd be safe to make a quick call. Just to tell my parents I'm okay? They must be completely freaked." Everyone turned to look at Anna, all of them realizing that no one had informed her of her parent's demise.

"Uh." Sam stuttered out.

"What?" Anna asked.

"Anna, um… your parents…" he trailed off and looked to the assembled group for some help.

"What about them?" Anna asked, panic entering her voice.

"Look… I'm sorry."

"No. They're not…"

"Anna, I'm sorry." Anna leaned numbly against a wall, face sad and pensive and she looked on the verge of tears.

"Why is this happening to me?" she asked out loud.

"I don't know…" Sam answered. Suddenly Anna jerked and her eyes went wide.

"They're coming."

"Back room." Dean instructs Sam and Sam quickly takes Anna into the back room before returning.

"Where's the knife?" Ruby asks. Isabella feels an electric hum dance over her skin, crackling stifled power building up, but it feels different.

"Guys." She murmurs uncertainly. No one looks over to acknowledge the fact that she has spoken.

"About that…" Dean mumbles to Ruby.

"You're kidding!" Ruby hisses.

"_Guys_." Isabella says again, more insistently.

"Hey don't look at me!" Dean growls before pointing a finger at Sam.

"Thanks. A lot." Sam dead pans.

"Great. Just peachy. Impeccable timing, guys, really…" Ruby snarls out and Isabella can feel the electric hum race over her skin and the build up of wind and lightening outside. It isn't a demon that's for sure, which can only mean one thing.

"**Guys**!" She shouts a moment before the doors burst open.

* * *

A/N: Oh I'm naughty; I'm a bad, bad girl, leaving you with a cliff hanger like that. Of course we already know what happens since this is based heavily in "I Know What You Did Last Summer". Anyway, once again I find myself apologizing for the really friggin' long wait and if it weren't for Julia PM-ing me I probably wouldn't have updated until I had the next chapter finished (which it's not but it proves to be long and very interesting). Speaking of which, I've decided what episodes I'm going to actually do chapters on and what episodes get a brief mention, "Family Remains", "Criss Angel is a Douche Bag", and "After School Special" will all get mentions, maybe small scenes. "Sex and Violence" will get a chapter (or a few scenes I haven't really decided yet). "Death Takes a Holiday" and "On the Head of a Pin" will both get their own chapters, maybe two each. "It's a Terrible Life" will get maybe half of a chapter or a few scenes. "The Monster at the End of this Book" will probably get a chapter as well as "Jump the Shark". "The Rapture" gets nothing because 'Absolution' is AU as far as Castiel's vessel, there might a few things from it, Castiel disappearing and Sam's addiction as I am going to be doing a chapter or two on "When the Levee Breaks". Naturally "Lucifer Rising" will also be addressed. Speaking of which, how has everyone liked the last few episodes? I really like how "Jump the Shark" ended up playing out, I hated it at first but by the end I felt that it was actually a necessary episode (you know how there's episodes necessary to the season and there are others that can be taken out). I loved "The Rapture" Jimmy Novak was so different from Castiel! It was actually kind of refreshing to see this uncertain, food eating version of the angel we all love. I have to speculate though at the end of the episode when Castiel says, "You'll never age, you'll never die" while in Jimmy's daughters body. Does this mean that Jimmy will always be Castiel's vessel? Even in a 100 years? Does this mean that Uriel had his vessel since the beginning of time and Zachariah as well? If so does this mean that this is Castiel's first time on Earth requiring a vessel? And what is so special about Jimmy? Is he descended from Nephilim? Jesus? Hmmm… well anyway, "When the Levee Breaks" actually made me sick at the end of the episode. I am fully disgusted with Sam and officially disown him from my heart. I also sobbed like a little bitch afterward and ended up outside taking in fresh air because I thought I was going to puke (hyperventilation is not good). And as much as I loathe Anna… I felt kind of bad for her when she got hauled in. The things that Sam did/said to Dean and vice versa were awful. The promos for "Lucifer Rising" freak me the fuck out, both in a good way and a bad way. Castiel touching Dean's forehead and bright light thingy?! What was that? And Sam and Ruby torturing that demon as well as Sam's eyes going black? OH MY GOD! I cannot wait. In other news I saw _X-Men Origins: Wolverine_ and I have to say it was amazing! Maybe it's because of the sheer hotness factor the entire movie or maybe it was because the action sequences and special effects were really well done but I loved it. Ryan Reynolds was in top form for his brief appearance as Wade Wilson the Merc with the Mouth, Hugh Jackman was as ferocious as ever (and hot too), hell Taylor Kitsch did a pretty good job as Gambit and for once I actually wanted to throw myself at Victor Creed AKA Sabertooth, Liev Schreiber had this strange animal magnetism (hehe I'm so punny) that made me drool a bit, even though I'm sure any woman who got with him would probably get eaten alive afterward… ew. Will I Am in his first film roll as John Wraith was awesome too. I was pretty happy with the way the movie turned out and I highly recommend it.

Thanks to: blizardwolf1, Megget 18, tigeruawish, Vicki fan forever, Arinna Black, LazyLogan, and luckyrebel13 for signing up for alerts or adding 'Absolution' to your favorites list.

AGRIMLIKEDOG: You're welcome (:.

JuliaAurelia: hey look! I updated! Again! At your prompting, see you're like the catalyst for me updating. I'm totally in love with the idea of Castiel with a baby… hehehe I bet Dean would have a sign that says, "Will work for pie" if he were homeless... which he is but you know that's a technicality.

AnnabelleLee: There's definitely going to be both insanely protective Dean and Cas in the future. Whoohoo! I love stick figures; I am the Da Vinci at stick figures. LOL, I guess we both fail at life.

LostPhan: wait you judge the chapter's awesomeness by the title song?! LOL just kidding I'm not offended at all. I love the Killers, I haven't had a chance to get any of their newer CD's but I still love 'em. Alex is actually based on my friend's cousin, except my friend's cousin is a little perv. LMAO, "What are you a teacher of?" Logan stares at them blankly, "Art." Castiel and Logan would totally be BFF's and Dean would torture Scott and hit on Rogue/Jean/Kitty/Storm like mad. Sam would be embarrassed. Then Castiel would stare at Professor Xavier with his never-ending stare, because that's what he does. Yes. I am trying to kill you. Just wait for a scene in chapter nine. I'm probably going to get death threats because of it. I share Castiel's view on babies; after all they're the ones who are going to be running the world when we're all old and wrinkly in nursing homes. Castiel is totally going to be the cool Uncle who tells the best stories! Holy STD, lmao, I totally thought, "Holy STD Batman!"

I think next to the Impala, Pie is Dean's one true love. OH MY GOD!!! YOU MET BOBBY!!!! What was he like? How awesome was he? Did you ask if he could adopt you? Because I totally would have asked him that! "This here is my Papa Bobby, I mean Jim! Yeah Jim…" Hehe, "Wishful Thinking" has to be one of my favorite silly episodes by far. And Raphael happens to one of my favorite non-canon angels ever. He could totally own Uriel if he wanted to but he's lazy. Ew. Sam is dead to me too after what he did to Dean. Dead. I chucked the remote at the TV, thank god I have pretty crappy aim, although I didn't miss when I threw the box of Kleenex that I had. Slash conversation equals awesome. I would be kissing a lot of random people if I were ever in the writer's room. "That's brilliant!" SMOOCH "Why'd you kiss me?!" I figured that was the reason there was no almost immediate review, I was like, and "No way would LostPhan abandon me now!" AHHH! I'm so jealous! I love Gabe!! And Chad!!! And Jim!!!! I imagine they're all very laid back and awesome, as much as I want to go to Salute to Supernatural or any of the cons I probably wouldn't because I would rather meet an actor I adored in a very odd setting. My friend met Woody Harrelson in a bar in Mexico and they ended up doing shots together and then going out back to smoke pot. I was like, "That's how I want to meet Misha Collins, except for the pot smoking." LOL I would have totally ignored Anna's actress too, I do like her a little bit more but not enough to fawn over her. I would rather meet Mary's actress or Ellen's. LMAO next season we'll totally find out Jessica was a witch or something. Totally for sure. True facts. I kind of have to wonder why they would bring up Jessica and her death after like three season of not mentioning her. And why didn't Sam hallucinate her, Dean was right; it's not about revenge anymore. Isn't it just friggin' upsetting, I hope that they can patch things up.


	9. Wishing Well

Title: Absolution

Author: TigerTiger02

Chapter Title: Wishing Well

Spoilers: pretty much if you haven't seen any season four you probably shouldn't be reading this since Castiel is featured heavily. Pre-"I Know What You Did Last Summer"…. And considering this has been Kripke'd (although I've been working on it for a good month) I think you all know where this is heading…

Summary: Castiel's retrieves Sam and Dean for a mission from God. Guess they didn't expect it to be an Atomic-Bomb Girl. Or she'd be broken and a one mouthy-girl. Shameless Castiel/OC.

Disclaimer: not mine, if it was I would totally take Castiel home as pet, he's just so darn cute!

Dedication: to Nikki, who has been here with me every step of the way, and to all the readers and reviewers, you totally make my life!

_And the air is thin  
And it blows through your skin  
And you feel like something  
Is about to begin  
But you don't know what  
And you don't know when  
So you tear at your hair  
And you scratch at your skin_

_You wanna run away, run away  
Just get on the fucking train and leave today  
And it doesn't matter where you spend the night  
You just might end up somewhere in a fight, in a fight  
Or calling your room on a concrete shelf  
Fighting all alone, with yourself, with yourself  
And you just wanna feel like a coin that's been tossed  
In a wishing well, a wishing well  
A wishing well, a wishing well  
Well you're tossed in the air  
And you fell and you fell  
Through the dark blue waters  
Where you cast your spell  
Like you were just a wish that could turn out well_

_So you stand on the corner  
Where the angels sit  
And you think to yourself,  
"This is it, this is it  
This is all that I have  
All I can stand  
Is this air in my lungs  
And this coin in my hand"  
That you tossed in the air  
And I fell, and I fell  
All the way to the bottom  
Of the well, of the well  
Like those soft little secrets  
That you tell, that you tell  
To yourself, when you think  
No one's listening to, well_

_-"Wishing Well" The Airborne Toxic_

Before she can think Isabella launches herself at Castiel.

"Oof!" Castiel grunts out and Uriel rolls his eyes.

"Hardly dignified, Castiel." He snarls. Castiel doesn't respond, mainly because Isabella has pressed her lips against his with urgent need. Dean turns to Uriel, deciding to confer with the moody angel instead.

"Please tell me you're here to help. We've been having demon issues all day."

"Well, I can see that. You want to explain why you have that _stain _in the room?" he grinds out, looking at Ruby with disdain, Ruby shrinks back and surprisingly Eve moves herself closer to the demon. Isabella extracts herself from Castiel.

"Well? What's the plan? We gonna kick a little demon ass?" she asks.

"We're here for Anna." Castiel says bluntly, not meeting Isabella's eyes. Isabella takes a step back, surprise in her face.

"Here for her like… here for her?" Eve asks. "Like, _'hey sorry all this bad crap happened to you but we've got nice, squishy, feathery angelic shoulders to cry on'_?"

"Stop talking. Give her to us." Uriel growls and takes a step towards the door to the backroom.

"Are you gonna help her?" Sam asks, suddenly the situation seems uncertain.

"No." Castiel says levelly. "She has to die." Isabella stumbles further backward, surprise and hurt on her face.

"_What_?" She hissed out.

"You want Anna? Why?" Sam asks confused.

"Out of the way." Uriel says and takes another threatening step.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Okay, I know she's wiretapping your angel chats or whatever, but it's no reason to gank her!" Dean says while raising his voice. Uriel smirks.

"Don't worry. I'll kill her gentle." His voice is a soft purr; it's a killer's voice.

"You're some heartless sons of bitches, you know that?" Dean snarled. Castiel's eyes flickered towards Isabella before he responded.

"As a matter of fact, we are. And?"

"Cas…" Isabella murmured softly.

"_And_? Anna's an innocent girl!" Sam protested.

"She is _far _from innocent." Castiel said evenly. Eve glances at Isabella who is pale and shaking, eyes wide as she stares in disbelief at Castiel.

"You! You! _How could you? _How could you spout this bullshit about being heartless when-?" Isabella cuts herself off, visibly struggling not to move towards him. She fails miserably and the loud slap echoes in the silent cabin. Isabella is shaking slightly, eyes wide and tear filled as she lifts her hand to her mouth in shock at her own actions. She takes a shaky step backward as Castiel touches his reddened cheek in shock.

"Isabella…" he murmurs, starting towards her but the ex-angel takes a quick step backward, flinching away from him. They stare at each other for a long moment.

"I… I can't even look at you right now." Isabella says thickly and she wraps her arms around herself and looks at the floor.

"Isabella, I-."

"No! _Shut up!_ You don't get to talk anymore!" She shrieks and covers her ears. No one moves. The silence in the cabin is suffocating before Sam breaks it.

"I'm confused. What does he mean by 'far from innocent'?" Sam says evenly, attempting to get to the matter at hand.

"It means she's worse than this _abomination _you've been screwing. Now give us the girl." Uriel growls while taking a step towards the group. Meanwhile Castiel is willing Isabella to look at him but Eve steps between the pair.

"Uh-uh. No." she says, placing her hands on her hips, glaring at Castiel with blazing eyes.

"Eve. You don't understand, this is much more complex than it seems. Please, just let me speak to Isabella." Castiel pleads. Eve stares at him for a long moment.

"You'll speak to me and I will judge what you say. If it's the truth you may speak to her." Eve says finally. She smirks when she hears Dean's response to Uriel.

"Sorry. Get yourself another one. Try JDate."

"Who's gonna stop us? You two? Or the demon whore… or the failed first woman and a disgraced ex-angel?" Uriel asks glaring around at the occupants of the room. Everyone stares back at Uriel in contempt and Castiel seizes the opportunity to drop Eve with two fingers to her forehead. Isabella gives a sharp cry as he yanks her to him, ripping off the left sleeve of her shirt in one quick motion.

"Cas, what-?" Isabella manages to gasp out before he fits his hand over his mark and presses his lips to hers. For a moment Isabella doesn't understand Castiel's abrupt action and she tries to pull away but his mind bears down on her and she's drowning under the weight of the knowledge. Everything he knows about Anna Milton is forced into her mind and its fucking painful, this unwelcome invasion. She fights against him but it's too much too soon for her fragile, still very human mind. She doesn't know how she does it but finally she throw up shields of weak glass and breaks away from him physically and mentally. She gasps for air and falls against the wall, staring up at him.

Anna Milton is an ex-angel.

Anna Milton has no fucking idea of what she was or the fact that she ripped out her own Grace and fled like a coward. Castiel and Uriel must kill her, not just because of the danger of the girl falling into demon hands but also because of her disobedience. A shudder rocks through her, the ultimate betrayal with the highest price, it scares her. It fucking terrifies her. She turns her eyes to Castiel's and he holds out his hand. She takes it, ignoring the careening jolts that rock through her body. Licking her lips she glances to the door to the backroom. Castiel looks over at the door, then back at her. She will do no more to help Castiel or harm Anna.

Nothing has changed in the room, even though it had felt like an eternity Uriel has barely even moved towards Ruby. Isabella leans herself unsteady against the wall, her entire body aches acutely and she can't bring herself to interfere, either with Castiel's mission or protecting the redhead. Uriel throws Ruby against the wall and Isabella winces as Dean reacts. Castiel moves towards the door but Sam steps in front of him.

"Cas, stop… please." He begs but Castiel merely lifts his hand and Sam drops to the floor. Its almost as if Castiel should say, 'Bitch please'. Isabella can only watch in horror as Uriel begins to thrash Dean.

"I've been waiting for this." Uriel coos cruelly as Castiel's hand lands on the doorknob of the room Anna had been secreted away in.

Suddenly Isabella's entire body is wracked with pain. It feels like something is ripping her apart and from beneath her screwed tight lids she registers bright flashing in the room. She shrieks, her entire body twitching and convulsing as the pain beats in time with her heart. This worse than when Castiel marked her, there's a bone deep ache and she feels her Grace struggle hard against the seal on it. It's like hot pokers jabbing at every sensitive nerve as she screams louder, trying to will the pain away. She has no control over her body's movements and she feels trapped within it, unable to get away from the agony. The mark on her shoulder is burning white hot and she still sees the sporadic light from beneath her eyelids. It's almost as if it's dying in its struggle to get free. And it becomes too much, the ugly throbbing ache, the convulsing, the light, her throat raw from screaming. Her mind, her body, her Grace can't take it anymore. It all stops as she welcomes the inky darkness.

* * *

Eve uncovers her ears and opens her eyes. Isabella is still on the floor. The only indication that she's even alive is the gasping, unsteady breathing and the sporadic twitches. She's no longer sending out that sunburst of flashing light or screaming but its clear that even unconscious she's in pain. Her face isn't calm but wracked with agony.

"What the hell was that?" Dean asks as he stands slowly and helps Ruby to her feet. Eve ignores him in favor scrambling over to her fallen friend.

"Shit! Shit! _Shit!_" she murmurs as she checks over the ex-angel. Eve pries open one eye and flinches backward, the pupil is completely blown, and not in a good way. She places two fingers on Isabella's wrist and feels the faint, erratic flutter of her heartbeat. The unconscious girl's breathing is shallow and uneven. But at least the twitching has stopped. Hesitantly, afraid to know the truth, Eve lifts the shield on her eyes, the shield that allows her to walk around without seeing everyone's aura.

Isabella's aura is green. Which if she was human it would be okay, but instead it frightens Eve. There is no hint of silver, gold, or white, the normal static colors of a divine being's aura.

"No. No. _No_." she whispers before touching Isabella's forehead and delving into her mind. There is nothing that indicates angel. All Eve senses is a whitewash of pain and great loss. No static burst of power prompted by Eve's invasive touch into her mind. She clenches her jaw and wills the tears away from her eyes. Now is definitely not the time to fall apart. Isabella's Grace has been _ripped _from her and all that's left is the shell. Eve knows that without Isabella and her Grace the vessel should be dead, she has no idea if the vessel will wake up or if it will die.

"What's wrong with her?" Ruby asks while kneeling beside her. Eve glances over to her and flinches slightly at the sight of the twisted demonic visage.

"Can you see it?" she asks, curious to know if the demon could see the damage to Isabella's aura. Ruby narrows her eyes, the brown flickering to black, as she gazes at Eve's fallen comrade.

"Whoa. This isn't good." Ruby murmurs nervously. "She's supposed to be your heavy hitter, right? The Babe Ruth for the angel's? But why isn't there any of her uhm… angelic presence?"

"Grace." Eve corrects bluntly. "And yeah, she's our Babe Ruth; I don't know where her Grace went. It happened when Castiel and Uriel were repelled. This isn't good. Her Grace is what fuels the vessel, without it the vessel should die… unless… unless _He _thought this sort of thing might happen and tied the non-divine part of her Grace to the body." They both looked Heavenward.

"He's supposed to be all-knowing, right?" Ruby asks uncertainly.

"Yep. I suspect that He thought this might happen."

"Well what the hell happened? You think it has something to do with Little Orphan Annie?" Both of them looked over to see Anna standing in front of Dean, her hands and arms covered in her own blood. Both of them flinch back and look at each other. "You seeing what I'm seeing?" Ruby asks in a low voice.

"There's definitely a trace there. _Fuck_. Say nothing to Sam and Dean. We don't know when she fell and it will be easier to get information from her if we play stupid." Eve hissed.

"Got it." Ruby stands fluidly and checks on Sam again while Eve reaches out into Isabella's mind. There more's activity now, less panic and pain and more confusion.

"Isabella." She sang out softly. "Isabella… wake up." She said while tapping the girl's cheeks lightly. Grey eyes flew open and Isabella shot up into a sitting position, her eyes frantically looking around the room as her breathing got ragged.

"What? Where am I?" She asked after fixing her gaze on Eve. "Eve! What the _hell_? Where are we? Who the hell are those people?" she asked while pointing towards the others. Eve felt her eyes go wide with realization.

"Iz, Izzie, what's the last thing you remember?" Isabella frowned slightly.

"I remember… I remember… oh shit! What time is it? I'm supposed to be at work right now and-."

"What do you remember?" Eve asked while gripping Isabella's shoulders tightly and forcing the girl to look at her.

"I thought I had a lot to drink last night but obviously you had way more! We were at Dick's with Kathleen and Jay, you know for their going away party. We were there until closing and then we got home and I went to bed, I'm supposed to be at work right now. Why are we in this nasty ass cabin? Who the hell are those people?" Isabella said with certainty. Eve felt sick. They hadn't been to Dick's Bar and Grill in three months. In fact it was shortly after that when the Seal upon her Grace started to erode and instead of minor issues Isabella started to have major issues. Two months ago Dean had been resurrected and just a couple of weeks after Isabella had been tapped for duty.

"You don't remember anything from the past three months?"

"Three months? It's been like ten hours." Isabella said.

"Guys." Eve said with a slight hitch of panic in her voice. "We've got a problem."

"_What_?" Dean snapped out. "We're a little busy here!" He said while wrapping up Anna's arms carefully. Eve jerked backward and her jaw dropped while Ruby looked between them in growing horror and Sam just looked confused.

"Well _excuse me_ for wanting to point out the fact that Isabella's Grace has been _siphoned _off and she has _no _memory of the past three months! Not to mention the fact that the only person that can help her, i.e. Castiel, is _fucking _missing!" Eve shrieked, voice growing steadily louder and higher pitched with panic so that by the end of her mini-rant she was shouting in a squeaky voice. It would have been funny if the situation hadn't been so dire.

"_Oh shit_." Sam said.

"Yeah I think that about sums up the trouble we're in." Ruby said bluntly.

"Again, who the fuck are these fucking psychos?" Isabella snarled. Eve could only look at Dean in dismay as he turned his back to wrap up Anna's other arm.

* * *

"So you're telling me that two months ago you came to me at my apartment and already told me all of this?" Isabella asks Sam. She's confused and she hurts like she's never hurt before. She feels the aching loss of… something. She keeps looking down at her chest, expecting to see a big, gaping hole, but instead all she sees is her shirt, her shirt with the ripped sleeve and an itchy shoulder beneath. She reaches up to scratch at the itch and looks at her shoulder with stun. There's a burned handprint. "What the fuck?"

"That's Castiel's mark." Eve explains.

"And Castiel is the angel that pulled him out of hell." Isabella asks while pointing at Dean.

"And he's your boy toy." Ruby pointed out. Isabella sighed.

"Right. Because I'm an angel too and we knew each other before God sealed me and my Grace into a human body." She rolls her eyes and absently rubs at her chest. She watched Sam stand up and confer with Dean in low tones. Sam comes back, a frown on his face.

"We're going to go back to Bobby's for now. We should be safe in the panic room."

* * *

The night keeps getting stranger and stranger. They're back at some hillbilly's house (she assumes hillbilly because of the décor) complete with a shit ton of rusted cars across the yard. Okay maybe she was being a little judgmental because it clearly stated on the big (rusted) sign that this was _The Singer Auto Salvage Yard_. Besides Bobby Singer, the owner seemed like a nice guy from when she had spoken to him on the phone and he had enough books scattered throughout his house to run a library, if that library dealt in the occult. He had seemed genuinely concerned for her, asking a series of questions, such as what she felt at the moment and was she hurt and if so where. Then he had gotten back on the phone with Dean and told him which books to look at and to give Isabella a big glass of vodka.

"I know it's a lot to handle but-." Eve began and Isabella quickly cut her off.

"Yeah, you think? Obviously you've gone crazy or you're doing this huge elaborate prank just to fuck with me." Isabella snarled.

"Ugh! You understood and stopped fighting it last time, why is this time any different?" Eve asked, her voice frustrated as Isabella merely rolled her eyes. Ruby sat up straighter, clearly something had just occurred to her.

"Eve, who was there last time that isn't here this time?" she asked, looking over at Sam and Dean. Eve groaned and dropped her head into her hands.

"Of course. Castiel was there but isn't here because Raggedy Anne." Eve muttered low enough so that she wouldn't be overheard by anyone but Ruby and Isabella. "He showed her his wings last time." Eve explained and Ruby sighed.

"Alright. Watch me." Ruby said firmly before her eyes went black. Isabella stared at her mutely. Ruby went to the kitchen before coming back with a knife. "Keep watching." Ruby said before she held the knife aloofly and sighed. "Damn this is gonna hurt." She muttered before shoving the knife into her heart.

"_Holy shit! Oh my god!_" Isabella shrieked while standing up quickly. "Why the hell would you do such a crazy fucking thing? Oh my god… oh my god…" she muttered while shoving Ruby to the couch and looking at the knife sticking out of the woman's chest. "Just uhm sit still and oh my god. Where's my phone I need to-."

"Just watch." Eve said calmly. And Isabella looked up from her frantic pocket search for her phone to see Ruby wrapping her hand around the knife. "What the _hell _are you doing? Don't take it out!_ Don't take it out!_" Isabella said frantically but before she could stop her Ruby yanked the knife out, wincing slightly as she pressed a hand to the wound. Isabella stared at her in horror, clearly expecting the girl to drop dead but Ruby just sat there calmly. Ten minutes went by and despite the fact that Ruby now had one ruined shirt, stained with a copious amount of blood down the front, she seemed fine. She removed her hand and opened the tear more to reveal the gaping hole that was slowly closing up. Isabella stared at her.

"Yeah. By the way, I'm a demon, as long as I'm in this body it won't die." Ruby said with a grin. Isabella stared while swaying slightly on her feet.

"Holy shit." She muttered while gasping for air. "I think I'm… oh my god… I think I'm… I can't _breathe_… I can't breath. I'm hyperventilating… I can't breath."

"Oh shit!" Sam yelled before catching her. "Let's get her and Anna to the panic room." Sam said as he wrapped an arm around Isabella's waist. "You okay?"

"A little dizzy. And freaked out. So it's all true? _Everything _is true?" She asked shakily.

"Yeah, this panic room is actually your room with… Castiel." Sam said as her ushered her into the room along with Anna.

"Iron walls drenched in salt. Demons can't even touch the joint." Dean said happily as Ruby stopped just outside the open door. She scowled and didn't attempt to move closer.

"Which I find racist, by the way." She said in an annoyed tone.

"Write your congressman." Dean snapped back. Ruby rolled her eyes and held out a couple of objects aloofly.

"Here." She said while shaking them slightly until Dean snatched them up.

"Hex bags?"

"Extra-crunchy. They'll hide us from angels, demon, all comers."

"Thanks, Ruby." Dean said and handed one to Anna. "Don't lose this." Anna nodded and tucked it into her pocket.

"So, Anna, what's playing on angel radio? Anything useful?" Eve asked as she sat next to Isabella on the cot. Isabella stared around the room in shock. Her clothes were scattered around the room, some of her personal things like jewelry and makeup on a table with a tiny mirror. Then there were mens clothes, packed neatly away in a duffle bag. She walked over to it and picked up an ugly ass sweater; it looked like something that had come out of either Bill Cosby's closet or Bert and Ernie's. It was mustard yellow with blue, orange, and red thick stripes. She held it, feeling something tickle at the back of her mind. The urge to press her face against the sweater and breathe in the soft scent that was wafting from the fashion crime was irresistible. She pressed her face into the sweater and inhaled deeply, a low moan tumbling from her throat before she could think. In the distance she could hear their conversation.

"It's quiet. Dead silence." Anna's voice.

"Good. That's _not _troubling at all." Dean said and she could picture him rolling his eyes. She inhaled the scent of the sweater, trying to pull herself away from this.

"We're in trouble, huh? You guys are scared?" Anna asked.

"Nah." Dean said brushing off her concerns. Isabella felt like she should be remembering something, but she couldn't. She clutched the sweater closer and flopped down next to Eve, who watched her carefully.

"It was one of his." Eve finally said.

"Hmm?" Isabella asked while staring up at the ceiling, watching the fan turn lazily. The scent was so familiar, like old books and incense at Mass and cinnamon. An odd combination of scents but something familiar that tickled and niggled at the back of her mind. _Remember. Remember. Remember._ But she couldn't. She's lost three months of her life, someone she had loved, and the knowledge of who she really was.

"The sweater. It was one of… Castiel's." Eve said in a prompting tone. "You know, your boyfriend. Soul mate. Whatever the hell you wanna call him. Do you remember him? Any of him?" And Isabella tried. She really tried to conjure a picture in her mind. Castiel… who was Castiel? Did Castiel enjoy silence and solitude, quiet moments between the two of them? Or did he like to socialize, to talk and debate and revel in the particularly good bass line of a song. What did he look like? Tall and lean? Short and stocky? Blonde? Brunette? Ginger? What color were his… but she already knew what color his eyes were. They were blue. A very intense, ever-shifting blue but they were blue none-the-less. She tried to get more, tried to remember all she could about him but there was nothing. Frustrated she tossed the sweater back into the bag with a growl.

"I can't remember him! I can't remember _anything _about him!" She glances at Anna and there's something about her that pisses off Isabella. "I need a fucking drink." She snarls. On her way to the kitchen she shoves past Sam and Dean. Ruby trails behind her silently. She vaguely registers the fact that they're talking about Anna. Anna and some mental breakdown she had when she was two years old. What kind of two year old has a fucking mental breakdown?

In the kitchen Isabella pours herself a generous drink as Ruby says something to Dean before coming in.

"Jeez, he can be a real picnic. With friggin' fire ants." Ruby mutters and swipes the bottle of cheap bottle of vodka from her.

"Hey!" Isabella snarls, indignant.

"Oh shut up. They're even driving me to drink… and I can't even get all that drunk."

"You can't?"

"Well I can get drunk… it just doesn't last long." Ruby says before pounding down half the bottle.

"So what's your deal anyway? Are we friends?" Isabella asked before taking a shot. Ruby laughed.

"Friends? _Hardly_. I just met you, besides angels and demons? Yeah we don't really have Superbowl parties and Hell/Heaven Mixers."

"Oh. Then why are you helping?" Ruby looked at her startled.

"I don't want the bad guys to win?" Ruby said but it sounded more like a question.

"Makes sense. If I knew who the hell the bad guys were." Isabella said and folded her arms across her chest. There had been a lot that Ruby, Eve, Sam, and Dean had left out. Isabella didn't know exactly what had been left out since all she had been told was that she was an ex-angel, was dating an angel, and they were trying to protect Anna. And she had been tapped for some sort of big battle. There was also the fact that Sam and Dean were 'hunters' and not the kind to hunt deer but rather the supernatural.

"There's a demon, Lilith, she's trying to raise Lucifer by breaking the Sixty-Six Seals to his prison… and you were tapped because you're the Babe Ruth of angels."

"Oh."

"Yup."

* * *

Isabella watched impassively as Dean led a woman down the steps to the panic room. She had shoulder length wavy hair and a serious look on her face. A pair of dark glasses obscured her ruined eyes. Dean had already forewarned them that something bad had happened to her eyes and that she was now blind.

"We're here!" Dean announced unnecessarily.

"Pamela! Hey!" Sam called out, walking to the pair.

"Sam?"

"It's me. It's Sam" Sam said gently. Eve and Isabella exchanged glances.

"Sam?"

"Yeah."

"Sam, is that you?"

"I'm right here…" Sam had a confused look on his face, as if he were wondering why Pamela seemed so helpless.

"Five bucks says she grabs his ass." Isabella said while leaning towards Eve.

"Ten if she comments."

"Sam, is that you?" Pamela said in a high voice.

"I'm right here." Sam said while placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Oh. Know how I can tell?" she asked before grabbing Sam's ass. "That perky little ass of yours. You could bounce a nickel off that thing. Of course I know it's you, grumpy. Same way I know that's a demon, that's _the _Eve, that is an angel whose Grace has been ripped out, shit girl what did they do to you? All that's left is those bloody stumps." Isabella stared at her wide eyed and she lifted a hand to her shoulder. Nothing. But… there was a dull ache between her shoulders; it felt more like a back ache then anything else.

"You're not here for her." Dean said quickly and Eve tenses next to her.

"Right. And that poor girl must be Anna and you've been eyeing my rack." She directed back at Sam. "Don't sweat it, kiddo. I still got more senses than most got." They watched as she approached Anna. "Hey, Anna, how are you? I'm Pamela."

"Hi."

"Dean told me what's been going on. I'm excited to help."

"Oh. That's nice of you."

"Oh, well, not really. Any chance I can dick over an angel, I'm taking it."

"Why?" Anna asked with curiosity.

"They stole something from me." She said bitterly while taking off her sunglasses revealing white orbs where her eyes once were. She turned briefly to Isabella. "You should really tell your boyfriend to-." Isabella cut her off.

"He _warned _you." She said sharply. "Actually he warned you more than once." And how Isabella knew this she did not know. But it did shut Pamela up. Pamela turned back to Anna, revealing her eyes.

"Demon-y, I know. But they're just plastic. Good for business, makes me look extra-psychic, don't you think? Now… how about you tell me what your deal is? Hmm? Don't you worry."

Eve and Isabella leave the room. Mainly due to the fact that Pamela had kicked them out.

"She's a bitch." Eve mutters. "How the hell did you know about Castiel warning her?"

"I didn't." Isabella says tightly. "I'm glad she booted us out. There's something about Anna that's just… off." Eve freezes for a moment before turning to her with a fixed smile in place.

"Yeah she-."

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?" Eve asks.

"Like that! With the fake smile and the weirdness!" Eve sighed and grasped her arm.

"Alright, what I'm about to say cannot be repeated to Dean, to Sam, to Anna, or Pamela. This is between me, you and Ruby." Isabella gave Eve an incredulous look.

"That bad? Is she a demon?"

"Worse." Ruby commented from behind her.

"Huh?"

"She's a coward. She's an ex-angel like you."

"Except she had a choice." Eve tacked on. "She was a coward. She tore her Grace out and Fell."

"Oh." Isabella said a split second before Sam bounded up the stairs.

"We know what's going on with Anna." He said breathlessly. Eve, Ruby, and Isabella gave him their best curious looks.

"Well are you going to spit it out?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah… here's the thing. She's an angel. Well ex-angel anyway." Sam explained. The girl's gave Sam their best shocked expressions before following him downstairs.

When they get there Ruby stays outside the door, even if she could get in she probably wouldn't. Ruby is giving Anna a wary look and she keeps her distance from the ex-angel. Which Isabella finds ridiculously because Ruby stays close to her, another ex-angel.

"Don't be afraid, I'm not like the others." Anna says softly and Isabella immediately wants to slap her because she's not just telling Ruby, she's also addressing Eve and Isabella.

"Believe me; I'm hardly afraid of you." Isabella snarls. Ruby gives Anna a dirty look.

"I don't find that very reassuring." Ruby deadpans.

"Neither do I." Pamela echoes.

"So… Castiel? Uriel? They're the ones that came for me?" Anna asks.

"You know them?" Sam asks before Isabella can say anything.

"We were kind of in the same foxhole." Anna says by way of explanation.

"Yeah before you-." Ruby slapped a hand over Isabella's mouth before she can continue.

"So, what, they're like your bosses or something?" Dean asks, glancing towards Isabella who is glowering in their direction.

"Try the other way around." Anna says barely disguised smugness in her voice.

"Look at you!" Dean says proudly and Eve visibly bristles.

"But now they want to kill you?" Pamela asks curiosity coloring her tones.

"Orders are orders. I'm sure I have a death sentence on my head." Anna said with a shrug.

"Why?" Pamela asked.

"She fled like a _fucking coward_, that's why they want to kill her! She disobeyed!" Isabella doesn't know where the venomous words are coming from but it feels good to screech them. Anna stares at her blankly and Isabella seriously wishes she had Grace because she would kick her ass.

"I did disobey… which, for us, is about the worst thing you can do. I fell." She says calmly.

"Meaning?" Dean asked.

"She fell to earth, became human." Pamela explains with an awe filled voice.

"Wait a minute. I don't understand. So angels can just become human?" Sam asks incredulously. "There's no locking up like with Isabella?"

"It kind of hurts. Try cutting your kidney out with a butter knife. That kind of hurt. I ripped out my grace."

"And you ripped out mine too, bi-." Isabella is swiftly cut off by Dean giving her a glare.

"Ah… yeah your grace." Dean said lightly. "That uhm… thing that makes you an angel."

"My grace, it's an energy; I hacked it out and fell. My mother, Amy, couldn't get pregnant and always called me her little miracle. She had no idea how right she was."

"So you just forgot that you were God's little Power Ranger?" Dean asked incredulously.

"The older I got, the longer I was human, yeah… I just forgot." Anna shrugged.

"I don't think you guy appreciate how completely screwed we are. We would be fine if Izzie was Choke Full O' Grace." Ruby said bluntly.

"Ruby's right. Heaven wants me dead." Anna said, ignoring Ruby's glare.

"And hell just wants her. A flesh and blood angel that you can question, torture, that bleeds. Sister, you're the Stanley cup. And sooner or later, heaven or hell, they're gonna find you." Ruby pointed out.

"I know. And that's why I'm gonna get it back."

"What?" Sam asked, confused.

"My grace." Anna said nonchalantly.

"You can do that?" Dean asked curiously.

"Of course she can do that. Grace is an innate part of an angel, wherever it is she can just find it and reabsorb it." Eve said snootily. It was clear that she was annoyed by Anna's holier then thou attitude.

"If I can find it." Anna said, ignoring Eve's comment.

"So what, you're just gonna take some divine bong hit, and shazam you're Roma Downey?" Dean asked.

"Something like that." Anna said.

"All right, I like this plan. So, where's this grace of yours?" Dean asked curiously.

"Lost track, I was falling about 10,000 miles per hour at a time." Anna said with a shrug.

"Wait, you mean falling, like, literally?" Sam asked sounding shocked.

"Yes."

"Like the way a human eye can see? Like a comet maybe or a meteor?"

"Why do you ask?" Sam shook his head and gestured towards the vast amount of books and old magazines.

"I bet there's something around here that can help us." He said with a smirk. "Let's get cracking!"

Night had fallen and everyone was getting twitchy as Sam flips listlessly through a magazine. He straightens suddenly and his eyes widen. Eve, Isabella, and Ruby are the only ones left helping him. Anna is in the kitchen making something to eat and Dean is driving Pamela home.

"I think I have something." He said enthusiastically. Everyone crowds around him. "Here, in March of 1985, a meteorite vanished in the night sky over northwestern Ohio. It was sighted nine months before Anna was born, and she was born in that part of Ohio."

"You're pretty buff for a nerd." Ruby comments.

"Look, I think it was Anna and here, same time, another meteor over Kentucky."

"And that's her Grace?" Ruby asked.

"Might be."

"All right, that just narrows it down to an _entire state_." Eve snarls caustically.

"Look, it's a start, okay?" Sam snaps back.

"Sam… I'm sorry." Ruby murmurs.

"For what?" he asks.

"For bringing you this mess. If I had known, I would have kept my trap shut."

"Yeah, well, we'll muddle through like we always do." Sam says with a shrug.

"Not this time. You do not want to get between these two armies. Its Godzilla and Mothra, if one side doesn't get us the other one will." She pointed out.

"So, what do you want to do? Dump Anna and run? Forget it. Look, I know the angels freak you out…" she cuts him off before he can finish.

"Forget the angels, its Alastair I'm scared of."

"Alastair?" Sam asked curiously. Isabella's curiosity is piqued.

"You met him in the church, practically the grand inquisitor downstairs, _Picasso with a razor_." The way she speaks is a mixture of pure fear and pure awe.

"And?" Sam asks incredulously.

"And you should pull him out and throw him back in the pit… If you weren't so out of shape." She says disdainfully.

"Ruby…" Sam trails off, his voice warning her not to go any further with that train of though.

"No, your abilities, you're getting flabby."

"Yeah, so how do I tone up?"

"You know how, you what you got to do." She points out in a half-snarl. Isabella narrows her eyes, watching them intently.

"No, I'm not doing that anymore."

"Sam…"

"_I said no!_" Sam snaps angrily. Ruby backs off, her face carefully guarded.

"Well, then you better pray that Anna gets her groove back, or we're all dead." She says blandly before turning on her heel and marching away to a different part of the house. Eve and Isabella avert their eyes and quickly leave the room.

* * *

Eve and Isabella are perched atop one of piles of cars in the junkyard.

"What do you suppose Ruby was talking about?" Eve asks and Isabella turns her eyes to Eve and shrugs.

"I don't know…" she whispers. "I don't know anything anymore… I feel like there's this huge hole in my memory and that I'm missing a lot of things that I would normally pick up on…" She sighs long and low before bringing her hands to her face. "I can barely reconcile the fact that this isn't my body." Eve stays silent for a long moment.

"It's yours. If it wasn't yours the body would have died without your grace fueling it. Your grace fused the body with non-angelic essence of you. Its okay, you'll get it back."

"Was I like Anna? Was I a coward? Did I run?"

"No. When the suggestion came up that you needed to be sealed like Lucifer… you agreed, you agreed with it and went to it with your head held high. You didn't flinch. You didn't do it because God commanded it; you did it because you were afraid that they were right, that they were right that you would grow to resent the humans you loved so much. You loved them so much and you were willing to do whatever it took to protect them." Eve said passionately.

"I want it back. I want it back so much, I want to hear the voice of God and I want to be happy again and I want to know why I feel this way." Isabella responded after a moment.

"Iz… Izzie you-." Whatever Eve was about to say was cut off by the rumble of the Impala. Both girls turned their heads to eye the Impala rumbling down the drive. Eve went to sit up but Isabella shoved her down.

"Wait. Anna. Let's watch." They watched silently, low to the top of the vehicle as Anna met Dean at his car.

"Pamela get home okay?"

"Yeah, she said she was sorry. It's just after last time, she, uh… this is just a little too rich for her blood." Dean responded awkwardly.

"I don't blame her. You guys should do the same." Anna wrapped her arms around herself and Dean stepped closer to her, eyes wary.

"Well, we're not that smart… can I ask you something? What do they want me for? Why did they save me?"

"I'm sorry. The angels aren't talking about it. And it was after I fell." She whispered.

"That's another question. Why would you fall? Why would you want to be one of us?"

"You don't mean that." Anna stated softly.

"I don't? A bunch of miserable bastards… eating, crapping, confused, afraid…"

"I don't know. There's loyalty… forgiveness… love."

"Pain."

"Chocolate cake."

"Guilt."

"Sex." Dean stopped for a moment, trying to top that but he finally relented.

"Yeah, you got me there." He admitted.

"I mean it. Every emotion, Dean, even the bad ones… it's why I fell. It's why… why I'd give anything not to have to go back. Anything." She hissed.

"Feelings are overrated if you ask me." Dean scoffed.

"Beats being an angel."

"How's that possible? You guys are powerful and perfect. You don't doubt yourselves or God or anything." Dean murmured.

"Perfect… like a marble statue. Cold… no choice… only obedience. Dean, do you know how many angels have actually seen God? Seen his face?" She asked and Isabella felt Eve stiffen next to her and hiss lowly.

"All of you?" Dean hazarded a guess.

"Four angels. _Four_. And I'm not one of them."

"That's it? Well then how do you even know that there is a God?" He asked voice harsh.

"We have to take it on faith… which we are killed if we don't have."

"Huh."

"I was stationed on earth 2,000 years. Just… watching… silent…. _Invisible_… out on the road… _sick for home_… waiting on orders from an unknowable father I can't begin to understand. So don't tell me that-." Isabella felt the slow burn of anger at Anna's words as Eve bristled next to her. Dean meanwhile laughed.

"What is so funny? What?" she asked with a head tilt.

"Nothing… sorry. It's just… I can relate." Dean admitted. There was the sound of the door opening and closing. Sam stepped off the porch. He looked between them, eyes slightly narrowed.

"Hey."

"Did you find something?" Dean asked, stepping away from Anna.

"I think so." Sam said sounding excited. They disappeared inside and Isabella spoke first.

"Is it true?" She asked, her voice a mere whisper. Eve didn't have to look at her friend or ask to know what she was speaking of.

"No. Anna's just an idiot. She must be one of the lower angels, probably a Dominion but then again Castiel is too… then again he knows you so he isn't as cut off as her. Or naïve."

"So we do have emotions, there hasn't just been four of us who have seen God?" Isabella asked in a shaky voice. Eve looked at her friend closely.

"Anna has no idea what she's talking about, she was already on Earth when the decision was made with you and she's trying to manipulate Dean." Eve hissed. "Whatever, we'll her stupid Grace back and hopefully get yours back soon but you need to kick her ass for me." Eve said cheerfully.

"Alright. Let's get to work." Isabella said while climbing down the car.

* * *

Soon enough they're all squeezed into the Impala, Eve wedged between Dean and Sam in the front seat, awkwardly twiddling her thumbs as she stares out the windshield, a deceptively blank look on her face. She hadn't been too happy with the seating arrangements, because even though she wanted to be near Dean she was feeling stung by his obvious attraction to Anna. The reasoning behind the seating arrangements was that Eve was easily the most petit of the four women, topping in at 5'2 while Ruby was two inches taller and Anna and Isabella were the same height at 5'6.

Eve was in turmoil, and therefore grateful for her ability to shove any emotion in a box and pretend everything was all right. She liked Dean, she liked him so much, he made her laugh and there was gentleness to his touch, like she was finely spun glass that could break at the barest touch. It didn't hurt that he was attractive with his dirty blonde hair and brilliant hazel eyes. His easy smile and broad shoulders made her feel secure. Plus, Dean knew was he was doing but that might have been part of the problem. He knew the effect he had on women and enjoyed flirting with pretty women and using his charm to get into their pants. It wasn't just that, it was the fact that though Dean could tumble with the best of them he was also so very human. That was probably what threw her the most. He was ultimately _human _and would _die _and would never be _alive _again. She had wandered the earth for so very long and she was so weary of dying only to be born again. The only other man she knew like that was Adam and it had be three lifetimes since she had seen him.

She had loved Adam, she had bore his children and lived happily with him for a very long time. When they were together it was like that world suddenly made sense, they were good together. He had hurt her though, not physically but emotionally with his coldness, blaming her for the fall of humans. How was she to know that the forbidden fruit, though tasty, could bring about such consequences? She had been stupid back then but with the added knowledge of God she understood things better than most thought. She knew that even though she might choose Dean in this life, as she had chosen other men in past lives, that her heart would always be held in the palm of Adam's hand to do with it what he wanted. If he showed up in her life once more… she didn't even want to think of the lengths she would go to. She would do everything she could to get him to love her again, he held a strange power over her, a power that could never be broken. She shuddered at the thought of Adam with his great and terrible beauty, his sharply edged words and his deceptive charm.

"You cold?" Dean asked softly and Eve started slightly at his concern, turning her electric blue eyes to the hunter to her left.

"Huh?" she choked out.

"You shivered, are you cold?" he asked. Eve stared at him blankly for a long moment before turning her eyes forward once more.

"I'm _fine_." She bit off angrily. She was fine. She could take care of herself damnit, Dean didn't need to do shit like this, and he was just like Adam in that sense. Deceiving her and charming her with touching gestures until he bound her to him for all eternity. Liking Dean was dangerous. She couldn't allow herself to indulge in this folly any longer. "I'm perfectly fine." She repeated her voice firm but inside she was wavering.

"Whatever." Dean scoffed and jabbed at the radio, adjusting it until he found a radio station he was satisfied with. Eve ignored him and wrapped her arms around herself.

Still she mentally compared the two, unable to take her mind from the topic. Dean and Adam were physically similar, though Dean had a much more rugged human look and Adam… Adam was dangerously beautiful. His hair was the color of light gold and was slightly curly when it got too long, the last she had seen him it was too long but beautiful, so very beautiful. His eyes were a clear, pale blue the color of ice almost. He was tall with wide shoulders and a lean, muscled form. He had a dangerous, easy smile that constantly played on his wide, full lips and revealed blinding white teeth. Adam… was simply put the most perfect man any woman had ever seen. Even if one did not enjoy tall, blonde, and handsome men they would appreciate his beauty.

Dean was the same, any woman would be glad to appreciate him with his solid muscles, wide shoulders and height (almost a foot taller than her whereas Adam was as tall as Sam). Dean had the look of a fighter, despite his youthfully freckled face. His pouted lips could twist into a cool, mocking grin or a friendly smile. His hazel eyes could turn flinty in the face of danger or turn warm around his friends and family. She knew his short, dirty blonde hair was because of practicality with its military-esque style but it also said a lot about him, of seriousness and strength. His large, calloused hands were made to hold a knife or a gun and she wondered how they would feel against her body. But then again Eve had already promised herself that she wouldn't take that trip with Dean, right? She would do what she was supposed to do and help Isabella, stop hell on earth, and help whoever else she could along way.

"What?" Ruby's waspish tone tore Eve from her thoughts and she glanced in the rearview mirror to find Ruby glaring at Dean who was looking back at her still laughing softly.

"Nothing. It's just two angels and a demon riding in the backseat. It's like the setup to a bad joke… or a Penthouse forum letter." He said teasingly.

"Dude. Reality," Sam paused to point in the rearview mirror before looking at Dean seriously. "Porn."

"You call this reality?" Dean asked with chuckle. Eve saw Dean glance at her out of the corner of her, Dean was trying to catch her gaze and Eve opted turn her eyes to her hands.

* * *

_Isabella stood in a field of poppies. Everywhere the brilliant flower was in bloom, it looked like spilled blood across the rolling hills and fields. She looked down and discovered she was wearing a white summer dress that came to her calves. Her hair was pulled into an elegant bun. She started forward, the petals of the flowers brushing against her like the barest touch of silk. It was such a peaceful scene. She sighed lightly and continued to look for any signs of human life around her._

_"Hello?" she called out, her voice echoed across the plains. She cupped her hands around her mouth and inhaled the sweet scent of the poppies. "Hello!" she called louder. That's when she felt a hand brush across her bared neck. She whirled but found no one to be behind her. She continued whirling around, turning on her toes to catch sight of anyone concealed among the poppies. No one was in sight. On her final turn; just as she was convincing herself that she had imaged the fingers upon her neck a man appeared in front of her. He was dressed in white, like she was, except his outfit of choice was a suit. He looked to be younger than her, no- her age, no- older. She realized that his features were a mixture of age, the only clear feature of him was his slate gray eyes. She took a fearful step backward but he only smiled benevolently._

_"My dear, you look lovely." She blinked at him._

_"Who are you?" she whispered and he cocked his head in an eerily familiar manner._

_"Can't you feel it?" he asked._

_"It's impolite to answer a question with another question." She said waspishly. The kind smile never left his face._

_"Think, dear Isabella." He said finally. She thought as he instructed before her eyes widened._

_"Father?" she whispered uncertainly. His smile increased in brilliance and her breath caught in her throat._

_"It's been millennia, my dear, and this is not how I thought our reunion would go. But you must be warned."_

_"Warned?" Confusion filled her._

_"These are dangerous times. I was weary and tired after your exile. I took… a sabbatical. However I was trapped in my human form during this sabbatical by a demon. I couldn't break free and eventually lost all knowledge of my former existence. Now that the end of the world is coming I've begun to regain my memories. However, my child, I am still trapped in this human form and unable to gain control of the body I am trapped in. It is only through sheer will that I am able to contact you, even if your Grace is lost."_

_"You need me to set you free? Is this what you are asking of me?" Isabella asked._

_"Yes, but I fear you will not be able to find me in time. What you need to know is that you cannot trust the angels."_

_"But-."_

_"Castiel and Raphael are the only ones you can trust. The rest of them are corrupt. Remember this, my dear." He started to flicker in and out of existence. "You must remember this!" he shouted before disappearing completely._

_"Father!" she cried out, reaching towards the empty space. She turned around, searching for him but the only thing for miles were the blood red poppies. To her horror they began to melt, turning into puddles of blood as the sky darkened, the sun blotted out by great clouds as it rained ash around her. The melting poppies revealed the hundreds if not thousands of bodies surrounding. She screamed._

With a jerk she awoke screaming in the empty car. Sam by her side in a flash.

"What was it?" he asked.

"I don't know." She answered honestly. "Poppies." She whispered. Sam's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Okay… well anyway Anna's Grace was taken from here, we're going to move and find somewhere to stay while we plan. Are you sure you're okay?"

"No. I'm not okay at all." She whispered.

"This is bad."

"No shit."

* * *

Sam watched Isabella closely. The now completely human girl was clearly on edge.

"We still have the hex bags; I say we head back to the panic room." Dean was saying but Sam was focused entirely on Isabella, who was nervously pacing the abandoned barn they were in, or was it stables? It didn't really matter. He wanted to know what she had dreamt of, what had made her scream so? Did she see a vision of him? All she had said was poppies and poppies were symbolic of death. In Greco-Roman myths they were used as offerings to the dead and had a second meaning of resurrection. But what did it have to do with what she had dreamt? His attention was turned briefly to Ruby who was laughing at Dean. Oh, shit. Looks like he was going to have step in soon.

"What, forever?" Ruby asked with a laugh.

"I'm just thinking out loud!" Dean snapped back.

"Oh, you call that thinking?" Ruby snarled back. Sam stepped in, holding out his hands on either side of him.

"Hey! Hey, hey, hey! Stop it." Sam said but Ruby wouldn't have it. Honestly he liked Ruby, enough to have sex with her, but she was kind of getting on his nerves.

"Anna's grace is gone. Do you understand? She can't angel up. She can't protect us. Never mind the fact that Isabella can't even summon some of her mojo because it's also gone! We can't fight heaven and hell. One side maybe, but not both. Not at once." Wait… there was something in what she said. They could use it… but what? They couldn't fight them both but one? An idea started to formulate but before anything could come to him Anna spoke.

"Um. Guys? The angels are talking again." Anna said lightly.

"What are they saying?" He asked. Maybe it was an offer?

"It's weird… like a recording… a loop. It says, _'Dean Winchester give us Anna by midnight or…'_" She trailed off, horror crossing her face and Sam knew it was bad.

"Or what?" Like always Dean voiced exactly what Sam was thinking.

"_Or we hurl him back to damnation.'_." Sam felt his blood freeze in his body. Could he kill an angel? Was that too demony? He knew that drinking Ruby's blood wasn't all that… well _not_-evil but it was a means to the end and to him the end justified the means. He would kill Lilith and all this shit would disappear from their life, they could get back to ghosts and wendigos and poltergeists, you know, the normal shit. He asked the question he knew everyone else was thinking.

"Anna… do you know of any weapon that works on an angel?" he asked. Anna stared at him for a long moment.

"To what? To kill them?" she asked. He nodded unable to say the words. "Nothing we could get to… not right now."

"Okay, wait, wait. I say we call Bobby. We get him back from hedonism." Dean said and Sam shook his head immediately.

"Dean, what's he going to tell us that we don't already know?" This was bad; they were all out of ideas.

"I don't know, but we got to think of something!" Dean snapped before storming away. Sam looked after him sadly before turning to Ruby and tugging her away.

* * *

Eve had sequestered herself in a tree with a pack of cigarettes and her Blackberry. She knew it was a bit odd but it seemed that the higher she went with the damn phone the better service she got. She watched Dean flip through a book as he stood with one hand planted on the Impala. Anna appeared beside him and Eve felt herself bristle at the redheads presence.

"Hey. Holding up okay?" Dean asked her gently and Eve felt a hot flare of jealousy rise within her.

"Trying." Anna responded.

"Yeah."

"A little scared, I guess. So, um… Dean… I just wanted to thank you." Anna said, playing the damsel in distress card. Eve reined in her emotions and tried to watch the unfolding scene with detachment.

"For what?" Dean asked, looking genuinely surprised.

"Everything. You guys… you didn't have to help me-."

"Hey, that's kind of a "thanks for trying" speech, you know? Participation trophies suck ass."

"I don't know… maybe I don't deserve to be saved." Eve failed at being detached, now all she wanted to do was rip Anna's throat out.

"Don't talk like that." Dean murmured, stepping closer.

"I disobeyed. Lucifer disobeyed. It's our murder one, and I knew it. Maybe I have to pay." She hung her head slightly. Oh god, the pity card now. Eve really wanted to leap down there and do some ass-kicking. Instead she lifted the shield so she could see their auras. Dean's was flashing with blood red and Anna's was threaded with silver, like an angel, and a lusty red.

"Yeah, well, we've all done things we got to pay for." Dean said nonchalantly and Eve leaned forward eagerly. This, this was how Dean's aura looked when he was having his nightmares. If she knew the cause of them she could help.

"I have to tell you something. You're not gonna like it." Anna said sounding saddened.

"Okay. What?" Anna took a deep breath.

"About a week ago, I heard the angels talking… about you… what you did in hell. Dean, I know. It wasn't your fault. You should forgive yourself." Anna was closer to him now and Eve barely contained the snarl fighting at her lips.

"Anna, I don't w-want to uh… I don't want to… I can't talk about that." Dean stuttered out. Eve wanted to scream in frustration, 'ABOUT WHAT?!' Anna was even closer, hand on Dean's arm in a comforting gesture.

"I know. But when you can, you have people that want to help. You are not alone. That's all I'm trying to say." She leaned forward and kissed Dean. At that moment Eve nearly imploded from anger, jealousy, and a myriad of other emotions.

"What was that for?" Dean asked after pulling away.

"You know… our last night on earth… all that." She said coyly.

"You're stealing my best line." He said a moment before kissing her. Eve's head hurt and her already broken heart, having been super-glued back together, was breaking all over again. She watched them take refuge in the Impala and quietly left. Her mind turned to Adam… she would find him and make a life for herself. No more of this liking damaged hunters shit. On her way inside Ruby passed by her. The demon froze completely, staring at Eve wide-eyed. Eve met her gaze and shook her head.

"Go. Do what you have to do." Eve murmured. And Ruby gave a brief nod before leaving. Inside Sam was sleeping with his head resting on an open book and Isabella was sleeping on a bale of old hay.

* * *

Isabella picked the hay out of her hair as she watched the others. Eve was seated next to her, smoking a cigarette and glaring spitefully at Dean and Anna in turns. Neither of them noticed as one of their small party was missing.

"I don't know, man. Where's Ruby?" Sam was saying, looking a bit lost without his demonic companion.

"Hey, she's _your _hell buddy." Dean muttered angrily and took a swig from a small bottle of booze. Eve rolled her eyes.

"Isn't it a little early for that?" She snapped at Dean. Dean glanced at her, wondering at her change in attitude before speaking.

"It's two am somewhere." He said snidely.

"I believe the phrase is, '_Its happy hour somewhere_', _jackass_." Eve said snippily before rising to her feet. "Look, I think Isabella and I are going to head out." She said while tugging on Isabella's hand. "It isn't safe for her despite the fact that she's pretty much graceless. We need to find Castiel and Uriel."

"What the hell, Eve! I thought you were on our side!" Dean snarled angrily. Eve stopped and looked at him warily.

"I'm on Heaven's side, Dean. Not yours. Not Sam's and certainly not Anna's. Your usefulness has run out, you cannot protect her as well as others could. In fact you allowed Anna to do her little blood ritual and strip Isabella of her Grace, the one thing that protects her. So we're leaving." Eve said coldly. "Come Isabella, when we get far from here we will find Raphael. He will protect us." Before they could make another move the doors rattled ominously before blasting open. Castiel and Uriel entered, glancing around the room as the door closed behind them.

"Hello, Anna. It's good to see you." Castiel said lightly, his eyes landed on Isabella and he looked pained for a moment. That's when Isabella understood that this was her angelic lover. His eyes were the same eyes from her dreams. The hole inside of her ached and she wanted to wrap her arms around him. Instead she merely met his gaze.

"How? How did you find us?" Sam asked and the angels glanced at Dean. "Dean?" Sam asked and Isabella could feel the betrayal thick in the air.

"I'm sorry." Dean murmured.

"Why?" Sam asked still not fully understanding.

"Because they gave him a choice. They either kill me… or kill you. I know how their minds work." She said bitterly and in full view she kissed Dean gently.

"You did the best you could. I forgive you." She murmured to him before turning to Uriel and Castiel.

"Okay. No more tricks. No more running. I'm ready." Castiel sighed and looked at her for a long moment.

"I am sorry." He said, guilt weighing heavily in his voice.

"No. You're not. Not really. You don't know the feeling." Anna stated plainly.

"Still, we have a history. It's just-." She cut him off.

"Orders are order. I know. Just make it quick." Her voice shook slightly and Isabella felt sorry for her. Until everyone's attention was drawn to the door by a slithering, cold voice.

"Don't you touch a _hair _on that poor girl's head." Alastair stood in the door, two thug demons holding up Ruby between them stood slightly behind him. He shook his finger chastising. Dean looked vaguely sick at the sight of the demonic torturer. Sam looked sick at Ruby's bloodied stomach. Uriel stepped forward, his voice a snarl in the stable.

"How dare you come in this room, _you pussing sore!_" Ruby was thrown away from the thug demons and she crawled to safety. Isabella was on edge as she watched the exchange. If only she had her angelic powers… then she could kill the demons. Alastair took a step forward of his own, almost sauntering forward. His smooth voice sounding affronted as he spoke.

"Name-calling. That hurt my feelings… _you sanctimonious, fanatical prick._" Alastair spat out. Castiel glared at him, unmoving as he spoke.

"Turn around and walk away now." His voice was even, no trace of fear in it.

"Sure, just give us the girl. We'll make sure she gets punished good and proper." Alastair winked at Castiel but the angel would have nothing to do with it.

"You know who we are and what we will do." Castiel walked closer to stand next to Uriel. "I won't say it again. Leave now… or we lay you to waste." Alastair smirks.

"Think I'll take my chances." He said snidely. There was a long moment where no one moved but the second Uriel rushed the demon thug number one Sam and Dean ushered the girls to the side. Isabella watched in horror as Uriel held down the demon, there was some kind of necklace hanging out of his shirt, it was vial with something blue and shining in it. Castiel caught Alastair with three quick punches before pressing his palm to the demons forehead. Nothing happened and Castiel's eyes widened in growing horror.

"Sorry, kiddo. Why don't you go run to daddy?" Alastair sneered before breaking Castiel's hold and flinging the angel away. Alastair was atop Castiel in seconds, his palm now on the angel's forehead as he held him up by his tie. Uriel burned out his first demon with obvious glee.

"_Potestas inferna, me confirma. Potestas inferna, me confirma._" Isabella watched Dean grab a length of metal and advance on Alastair as Castiel's eyes rolled wildly. "_Potestas inferna, me confirma!_" Dean clocked Alastair with the crowbar and the demon promptly dropped the angel and stood.

"Dean, Dean, _Dean!_" he snarled out while smoothing back his hair. Dean backed away, clearly terrified. "I am _so _disappointed! You had _such _promise!" Alastair ranted as he paced around the Winchester brothers. He turned before flinging out a hand, Dean curled in on himself while gasping and Sam immediately collapsed to his knees. Isabella turned her eyes to Uriel who had burned out the other demon while Anna snatched his necklace. If she had been paying attention she would have noticed Alastair turning to her with a malicious smile. Instead she found herself pinned to the ground by the demon.

"Isabella, my, my, you just feel so nice against me. But what's this? No Grace! Lilith will be so displeased! Why I bet-." He was cut off by Uriel's snarl.

"No!" Then there was a bright flash as Anna broke the vial. The smoking substance snaked into the gasping girl's mouth, disappearing inside of Anna quickly. She collapsed to her knees in shock.

"Oooh, shiny!" Alastair said and stood, ignoring Isabella for the time being. Anna rose again, a bright light emitting from her in flashes before it grew strong and steady.

"Shut your eyes. Shut your eyes." She gasped out before throwing back her head. "_Shut your eyes!_" Her words broke off in a yell as she arched and the light disappeared before exploding out of her. Alastair took another step towards her as Anna essentially exploded; he disintegrated into her released Grace leaving behind Ruby's knife. Everyone stood and made sure their parts were intact. Dean hefted the knife in his hand before sticking it into his waistband.

"Well, what are you guys waiting for? Go get Anna… unless, of course, you're scared." Dean taunted and Uriel took a threatening step towards him before being stopped by Castiel.

"This isn't over."

"Oh its looks over to me, _junkless_." Dean retorted. A second later Uriel was gone but Castiel remained. Isabella's breath caught in her throat as Castiel strode towards her. His brushed his hand against her cheek.

"_Beloved_." He murmured and bowed his head, touch their foreheads together. "I have held your precious Grace inside of me." He continued. His blue eyes bored into her slate gray pair. "Will you receive it?" He mesmerized her.

"_Yes_." She whispered as her limbs trembled with the after effects of the adrenaline rush. Castiel wrapped an arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him. He dipped his head and brushed his lips against hers gently. Something broke inside of Isabella and she surged forward eagerly, her lips worked against his insistently. His tongue ran across the seam of her lips and she opened her mouth and jerked at the feeling of something being poured inside of her. She pulled away from him with a gasp, throwing back her head and crying out as her entire body thrummed like she was a plucked guitar string. Light and heat filled her up entirely as Castiel wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and forced them together again. It filled her to the brim and she felt overloaded by the rush of memories, only a few months old but there was so much. She dragged Castiel down with her as she collapsed to her knees a split second before the world went black.

* * *

When Isabella awoke she was alone in the car. Castiel and Eve were discussing something twenty feet away, probably discussing her memory loss and Anna while Dean and Sam leaned against the car and had a beer. She sat quietly, thankful for the return of her memories and her Grace. It was still sealed firmly but at least she had it, at least she could feel it inside of her, pulsing and struggling and infusing her with bits and piece of power.

"I can't believe we made it out of there." Dean was saying to Sam.

"Again." Sam responded.

"I know you heard him." Isabella perked up, feeling slightly guilty for eavesdropping but she had heard Alastair too and she wanted to know the whole story.

"Who?" Sam asked, though he probably already knew who Dean was talking about.

"Alastair. What he said… about how I had promise."

"I heard him." Sam confirmed.

"You're not curious?"

"Dean, I'm damn curious. But you're not talking about hell, and I'm not pushing." Sam snapped out. There was a stretch of silence before Dean spoke, his voice unsteady.

"It wasn't four months, you know."

"What?"

"It was four months up here, but down there… I don't know. _Time's different. It was more like forty years._" Dean voice shook as he spoke.

"Oh my god." Sam whispered.

"They, uh... They _sliced _and _carved _and _tore _at me in ways that you... until there was nothing left. And then, suddenly... I would be whole again... Like _magic_... Just so they could start in all over. And Alastair... At the end of every day... _every one_... He would come over. And he would make me an offer. To take me _off _the rack... If I put souls _on_...if I started the torturing. And every day, I told him to stick it where the sun shines. For thirty years, I told him." Dean paused for a second and his next words came out cracked and broken. "But then I _couldn't _do it anymore, Sammy. _I couldn't._ And I got off that rack. _God help me, I got right off it, and I started ripping them apart._ I lost count of how many souls. The -- the things that I did to them." There was silence and Isabella's heart twisted in her chest and she knew Sam was trying to think of something, anything to tell Dean.

"Dean..." He paused, took a breath and tried again. "Dean, look, you held out for 30 years. That's longer than anyone would have." She listened as Dean tried to gain control, as he sniffled and took in deep breaths.

"How I _feel_…" he trailed off and took a deep gasping breath. "_This_…" he paused again. "_Inside me_… I wish I couldn't feel anything, Sammy. _I wish I couldn't feel a damn thing_." His voice shook and cracked and broke as he spoke. Isabella trembled in the backseat before turning her tearstained face into the crook of her arm, her breathing sharp and heavy after Dean's confession. Ten minutes later the touch of Castiel's hand on her shoulder, on his mark, sent her into a deep sleep.

* * *

A/N: Whew! Sorry this took so fucking long, first it was finals, then I went on vacation to the land of no computers for two weeks, then I couldn't find the transcript to 'Hell's Angels' AKA 'Heaven and Hell', then I had a brief obsession with a 40 plus page document centering on X-Men Origins: Wolverine followed by a brief obsession with a 15 page document focusing on SVM, and finally my step-dad picked up a stray cat and it turns out she's pregnant so I've been spazzing about that. So I am very, very sorry. And to show you how sorry I am instead of splitting this chapter up I left it as is with a 21 page length. Man, 'Lucifer Rising' WHAT THE FUCK?! Although I won a bet with my best friend, and inspiration for Isabella and Eve, about how Azazel and Lilith were working together. But she won the one on Ruby actually being evil. But then I won the one about the angels wanting to bring about the end of the world. But she won the one about Lucifer rising so we're equal. By the way, love how the season started with Lazarus (Dean) Rising and ended with Lucifer Rising, nice touch Kripke. Also, anyone else notice that when Dean knocked the angel statue in his prison off the table Castiel appeared, hmmm… a foreshadowing of Castiel's impending fall? And I am awesome, I knew the next angel they would bring in would be Raphael and I was totally right, go me! I've been reading on tons of "spoilers" that I don't considering spoilers so if anyone is curious just ask me about it. I'm starting to think that my brain is linking up with Kripke's a little which is sorta scary. Anyway… I would like to thank the following people for adding Absolution to their alerts/favorites: destra, diabloboii, , MonzaBird, night-star-93, XxXSocksXxX, AngelwithDirtyToughts, hotredhead, and supernaturalobbsessed.

Review Responses:

LostPhan3: Where are you?

AGRIMLIKEDOG: are you still in love it now? LOL it's been too long, and the next chapter will have Isabella getting her Grace back, in a way cooler way than Anna or at least a way more sexually satisfying way. I would have included it in this chapter but… well I figured that it was time for an update, and I think people would have grown old and died before that part.

JuliaAurelia: I can't believe you didn't hound me for this chapter, I was totally expecting it! LOL, Uriel totally did it deliberately because he's a jackass and also he may mock Castiel for not doing the deed but he doesn't want her to actually get her Grace back, it would ruin his big plan of you know, going to the Dark Side. Thanks! You totally made me worry less about combining the show with my plotline, I've been freaking about it. Yeah I pretty much bawled like a kid whose ice cream had fallen off the cone after "When the Levee Breaks"… and I'm pretty pissed at him even though it wasn't his fault after "Lucifer Rising", that boy has a lot to make up for… Oh man, the sex scene was incredibly hard for me to right because at the time there was slew of new Misha video interviews so I had a hard time writing it because I kept watching new interviews and being like, "Oh my god, I really hope he never reads this, oh my god I'm writing about him having sex, or at least his angelic character, how embarrassing!" I've decided that I would never want Misha in that sense, only as a friend because if you follow his twitter he is hilarious and yet scarily insane.

AnnabelleLee: I have to say that I only really started to not hate her so much after I read an interview with the new actress but now I feel betrayed! I totally have disowned Sam for that move, it was like, "great, idiot." I friggin' love Wolverine! Even as a kid I'd watch the old cartoon and be like, "Oooh he's so cool" which has now become, "Oooh he's so sexy". Gambit kicks ass! And now I have a huge crush on Liev Schreiber as Victor… which is kind of scary because he's so fucking sadistic. LOL I haven't seen Star Trek yet, no one wanted to go with me but I agree with you about Doctor McCoy!

: Thanks! It's so totally true, I checked to see if there were any other Cas/OC stories, and this going to sound totally arrogant, but I think mine is one of the best. Gosh, I'm so humble. I think that inside, Cas is such a slut, but maybe that because in some interviews Misha is incredibly flirtatious and skanky, do you follow his twitter? Best picture ever is him shirtless pouring yogurt on himself. He's so friggin' crazy...

AngelwithDirtyToughts: LOL, don't worry unless you start stalking me I won't think anything of it. I'm so happy the Isabella is so well received, its hard writing an original character without her becoming a Mary Sue. Eve and Dean will hook up but obviously after this last chapter they have some issues to work through… Taylor Kitch is just awesome… mmm… Whoa! Norway? Wow, it just amazes me how is universal and that people living in countries I've never seen are reading this, its mind-blowing. But then again I guess it's just the way the world works nowadays, haha. I hope you've caught up to Lucifer Rising, because that was just an awesome episode! I hope I didn't spoil anything for you…

diabloboii: Wow! I hope you didn't lose any sleep doing that, way to flatter the hell out of me, LOL, thank you so very much, seriously. I know a lot of people are annoyed by high attention to detail but I feel like readers can't imagine what's going on if there isn't a lot of detail, so I'm glad someone likes my obsessive attention! And I totally agree with you, I do deserve more reviews… gee I'm so level-headed and totally humble….

night-star-93: oh I totally did! (: I am a terrible, bad person, maybe Castiel should smite me and by smite I mean something totally different… Don't worry; Castiel is going to be a fixture for the rest of the chapters! Uriel needs a bitch-slap for that, thankfully he gets it!

Some Reviewer: Well I am here to serve up some non-slash Castiel stories, seriously! As long as you aren't late for work, being hooked is a good thing; I actually made one reviewer late for work, oops. Thank you, I'm glad that I'm getting the characterizations of the canon characters right! I totally wish someone would draw me a picture of Castiel with the baby, but unfortunately everyone seems to only be able to draw stick figures, oh well…

MonzaBird: LOL, see I updated a week and a half after you told me to, how awesome am I? Don't worry, it may take me awhile because I get burned out quickly but I am determined to finish this!

lizzie queen: Look! A new chapter! A day after you asked for! LOL, I guess I just need a kick in the ass every one in awhile!


	10. Soul Meets Body

Title: Absolution

Author: TigerTiger02

Chapter Title: Soul Meets Body

Spoilers: pretty much if you haven't seen any season four you probably shouldn't be reading this since Castiel is featured heavily. Pre-"I Know What You Did Last Summer"…. And considering this has been Kripke'd (although I've been working on it for a good month) I think you all know where this is heading…

Summary: Castiel's retrieves Sam and Dean for a mission from God. Guess they didn't expect it to be an Atomic-Bomb Girl. Or she'd be broken and a one mouthy-girl. Shameless Castiel/OC.

Disclaimer: not mine, if it was I would totally take Castiel home as pet, he's just so darn cute!

Dedication: to Nikki, who has been here with me every step of the way, and to all the readers and reviewers, you totally make my life!

_I want to live where soul meets body  
And let the sun wrap its arms around me  
And bathe my skin in water cool and cleansing  
And feel, feel what its like to be new_

_Cause in my head there's a greyhound station  
Where I send my thoughts to far off destinations  
So they may have a chance of finding a place  
where they're far more suited than here_

_And I cannot guess what we'll discover  
When we turn the dirt with our palms cupped like shovels  
But I know our filthy hands can wash one another's  
And not one speck will remain_

_And I do believe it's true  
That there are roads left in both of our shoes  
But if the silence takes you  
Then I hope it takes me too  
So brown eyes I hold you near  
Cause you're the only song I want to hear  
A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere_

_-'Soul Meets Body' by Death Cab for Cutie_

The weeks after the Heaven vs. Hell showdown were filled with silence, awkwardness, and glares from everyone. Isabella constantly found herself leaving rooms when Dean and Eve were both in one. She found that she spent most of her time alone with Castiel, alone with Eve, or with both of them. She was never alone with either Winchester because they both seemed on edge around her. At the moment she was in bed while Castiel tried to coax her from it, reluctant to face the winter morning.

"Don't wanna get up!" she whined to her lover as he attempted to extract her from the warm bed.

"Isabella, Robert has asked us to go to the grocer and pick up some things, you will cease being a petulant child and get out of bed." She knew Castiel was annoyed with her when he dropped his contractions and spoke so formally.

"But the floor is cold!" she said, the whine still in her voice. Castiel rolled his eyes.

"That is precisely why we have gotten you slippers."

"Come back to bed, Cas. It's only eight in the morning." She said coyly. "We have all day to go to the store." Castiel crossed his arms over his chest and tapped his foot impatiently. Isabella countered his action by sitting up, taking the front of his shirt in her hand and hauled him down for a lengthy kiss. Despite his annoyance at her previous actions he was soon shedding his clothing and crawling back on the under the covers with her. Needless to say Castiel's powers of persuasion had nothing on Isabella's and they didn't leave the bed for another two hours.

* * *

"So when are we going to Grace me up?" Isabella asked as she compared prices on some rice Eve wanted for tonight's meal. Castiel glanced around the supermarket before answering.

"I was waiting for you to be ready." He answered finally. She paused and thought on it for a moment.

"I think I'm ready." She murmured softly. "It's been a month since I lost my memory and… I want you Cas."

"You already have me." He said blithely.

"No, I want all of you, not just the almost human you but the angelic one. I want to remember the rest of my extremely long life. I want to fly and I don't know, do other angelic stuff like kill demons." Castiel smiled indulgently down at her.

"Of course, Beloved, we will do the ritual whenever you'd like."

"Tomorrow night? Dean and Sam will have left for that hunt in Stratton, Nebraska and Bobby just left for that hunt in Mississippi. And Eve said she would probably spend some time at the Bronze." The Bronze was a little club that Eve had been frequenting in the past month. She was suddenly and desperately searching for Adam. She had confided in Isabella that Dean had slept with Anna and Eve no longer felt that they should be together. She decided that she would either find a normal guy or Adam. Castiel smiled down at her.

"Tomorrow night it is." He agreed. Isabella smiled brightly and pulled him down for a kiss.

* * *

Sam and Dean had already left, Eve had left, and Isabella was relaxing in a bath tub filled with bubbles and lavender scented bath salts. Castiel had told her that relaxation was key; otherwise she might level the house after she got her Grace back.

"Everything is ready in the room." Castiel's voice was rough and husky. She smiled and crooked a finger.

"Wanna join me? The water's great." Castiel's eyes darkened and he slid his boxers off before stepping in behind her. They remained silent as his hands worked over her neck and shoulders.

"Are you scared?" he asked her gently.

"No. Yes. I don't know. I'm trying not to be but I saw what happened with Anna." They both winced at her name before Isabella continued. "I don't want to disappear like that and end up in Indonesia or something."

"Anna… Anna didn't have anyone to anchor her to that stable, which is why she went where she went. You have me to anchor you."

"Oh. Good."

"Relax." He breathed into her ear and she wondered how she was supposed to relax when as she wanted to do was jump his bones. When she was so fucking terrified at having the power to do almost anything at her finger tips? His mouth moved to her neck and she felt herself relax back into his chest as his hands went to her waist. The water in the tub was already turning lukewarm so Isabella turned to Castiel.

"You. Me. Bed. Now." She ordered and stood before wrapping a towel around her naked self.

The moment they shut the panic room door, Castiel's mouth was slanting across hers in a desperate, hungry kiss. They flung off their towels and hands soon roamed the bare expanses of skin greedily. Castiel managed to stumble backwards, which caused Isabella to laugh because the thought of a graceless angel was just too funny. He pulled her down with him and the light clicked off bathing them in the warm glow of the lit candles. Her laughter died down as Castiel took her delicate, thin hand in his own. He kissed the tips of her fingers gently and moved to the other hand, his breath was warm against her skin as he breathed out lyrical sounding words.

Castiel's eyes are dark as he continues to map her body with his mouth. It was slow torture, his mouth laying words and kisses against her sensitive skin.

"Please…" she begged while arching her back towards his retreating mouth. Her heart thundered in her chest, pumping precious blood and jolting amounts of adrenaline through her veins. Her muscles shook from exertion and her breath labored like she had been running for miles upon miles and was just getting a chance to rest. Foreplay with an angel was surprisingly like torture. Castiel's nimble fingers danced across her skin next, at first she thought they were just lazy patterns he was making. A dim, distant part of her brain registered them as runes.

He pulled an ancient dagger off the bedside table. He nicked his finger on the tip and blood welled up. She tensed up and Castiel turned his eyes to her, his face completely serious. "Beloved, relax." He said and his mouth began to retrace the steps it had taken before. His fingers following adroitly in a similar fashion, bloodied runes that she would someday understand. Her skin was tingling from where he touched her now. Her body relaxing with each gentle touch as Castiel murmured in the strange language.

A strange, foreign heat filled her, and she itched and ached at the same time. She felt wildly uncomfortable as if she were wearing a wool bodysuit in the middle of summer. She needed to move, she needed him combined with her, she need to feel him against her. She surged upward and wrapped a hand around the back of his neck. Their lips clashed together as Castiel swallowed her moans as he pushed inside of her. Her nails clawed wildly at him as his voice became louder and louder, still speaking in the ancient language. He's slightly rough with her, pushing her backward and covering her body with his. She gasps and moans his name, he swallows it eagerly while pinning her hands above her head with one strong hand.

Isabella struggles against him, gasping and writhing beneath him as his whispered words cascaded over her in a waterfall of vowels and consonants. Her low moan rent through the air. Finally he moves his hand down her body, brushing across her breasts and ghosting over her curves before griping her hip tightly. Her fingers trailed his shoulders, his back, his arms, dragging sweat across his silken skin and leaving welts in their wake from her nails. She tilts her hips and tightens her knees around his waist. Her body thrums with his every movement and there's this burning heat boiling up in her. Light seeps from her skin, pulsing in time with her heart beat and his Grace answers the call of hers. The room is thrown into sharp, deep shadows by the play of light on their skin. His eyes are so dark with his expanded pupil that they're almost black. She sees the juxtaposition of their glowing bodies in the mirror. Her pale white skin glowing like the moon and his tanner skin the white heat of the sun bursting.

She barely notices that he nicks his palm open with the dagger. She doesn't even notice when he catches her hand and pressed a kiss to the palm before nicked it and mixing their blood together. She's too busy drowning in the thousands of emotions she can feel. They fill her up to the brim as she writhes beneath her lover. She barely registers the ominous whine of the bed and creaking moan of the metal chains. Instead she bites back a gasp but it rips from her mouth. Colors burn in her vision and her mind flashes to poppies bleeding and lilies turning to ash as the world spins into color.

There's something inside of her rising up, tearing through her body like lightning and she recognizes it as her Grace this time. The world is breaking apart at the seams, she's breaking apart at the seams, and there's crashing and flickering light. She arches her back as it all comes to a crescendo as Castiel fits his hand over his mark on her. His strong voice shouts the last word just as the world breaks apart into light and thousands of glittering shards of glass. The bending of mirrors and preconceptions and everything's as it should be, she sees the past, present and just a bit of the future. She hears glass shattering, a tinkering bell like noise as the seal breaks as well as all glass in the area and she notes the cascade of silver.

Brilliant light fills the room burning up everything in its path, everything that she was. And for a moment she transcends her body, they leave their earthly bodies behind, joined as one in souls. But they jolt quickly back. Her is voice golden as she cries out as the world shatters again, white light everywhere. Castiel's voice in her ear his words rolling rapidly together, bubbling from his mouth as the litany of repeated phrases flows from his lips like a well-known prayer, the words foreign before she understands completely.

Colors burst from black, white, and grey and everything gains a new shine to it. She doesn't notice the fact that the bed has broken and collapsed to the floor during their transcending. The vibrancy and beauty of the worlds fills her vision at the same time as a fiery ache takes hold of her back and she feels the ghost touch of feathers. Her breath seizes and heaves before black blots her vision and she passes out.

* * *

_She doesn't remember not-existing. She didn't exist and then she did, it was as simple as that. She opened her eyes and suddenly realized that she had form, she had thoughts, she had emotions, and knowledge. She turned her eyes to her maker, confusion filling her._

_"Who am I?" the first words to tumble from any beings mouth._

_"My daughter. I am your creator, your father. God."_

_"Do I have a name?"_

_"Isabella. You are my gift to humanity; you will care for them and love them as your own."_

_"Who is he?" Beside her there was a man, or rather a being that had been formed into man-shape with man-thoughts. He towered over her, far taller than her with a lean, hard build. His long hair was such a light blonde that it bordered on white and was tied back. His eyes were a strange color, rather then her and her father's shared slate grey they were a lavender color. He was handsome, beautiful really. He shone with a golden light while she shone pale silver._

_"Your brother, Lucifer, the morning star."_

_"Brother." She repeated the foreign word, rolling it around her mouth and tasting it. She liked the word. She stepped forward and embraced him, pressing her mouth to his cheek._

_"Sister." Lucifer murmured softly._

_The scene dissolved and changed. That's when Isabella realized that she was reliving her angelic memories through dreams._

_"My children!" Everywhere she looked there were angels. She recognized Uriel, his sneer no longer lingering on his face. He was beautiful and burned brightly with the light of God. Over there was Raphael who looked excited and bouncy. Adam and Eve stood observing all the angels with awe. And Cas… Castiel was staring at her intently. She turned her face away and leaned to her father's ear._

_"How are you feeling, Father?"_

_"Exhausted, my dear. But worry not." Castiel was still staring at her, his expression, his expression impossible to read._

_"Who is that one?" she finally asked._

_"Castiel. He is a Dominion, my dear."_

_"Why does he look at me like that?"_

_"Love." Was her father's explanation._

_And then there Castiel's mouth against her ear._

_"I love you, I love you, I love you a thousand times and then a thousand more." He whispered, his words ghosting over her neck and wrapping around her, filling her with light and buoyant happiness. She laughed brightly._

_"I love you…" She whispered back as they gazed upon their charges._

_"Do you wish you were them, sometimes? Do wish Father loved you as much as them?" he wondered._

_"Don't say such things. I have tasted but a fraction of the human emotions with you and it is enough for me." He turned his brilliant eyes back to her, a gentle smile upon his lips._

_"It is enough for me too… having you and having Father is enough. Protecting them and watching over them is enough."_

_"You… don't share Lu's views?"_

_"Never." The bright sunshine was pale in comparison to their happy light. She held her hand up and pressed it to his before entwining their fingers together._

_"Forever?" she asked. He leaned forward, pressing his forehead to hers._

_"Forever." He confirmed. "Always and forever."_

_She stood in Eden, sunlight streaming down through the trees. It was beautiful out, as it always was. She basked in the sunlight, it the glow of God. Eve, unaware of her nakedness was picking berries, munching on them as she spoke._

_"Adam is wonderful… he's just perfect… what was this emotion called again?" she asked while cocking her head. Her long gleaming hair was slightly tangled and there were scratches on her legs from stepping to close to the brambles to get at the sweetest berries. Isabella laughed lightly._

_"Love. Its love. Happiness… contentment…"_

_"Is that what you feel with Castiel?" Eve cocked her head curiously, blue eyes surprisingly perceptive for such a naïve being._

_"Angels cannot feel the same emotions as you can but yes, I suppose its close enough. If I were to take on a human form then I could but this form you see is merely an illusion to put you more at ease. While you can perceive my true form and voice it is a comfort to have me look as you do." Eve shook her head._

_"So you actually look like… a light, like Father?"_

_"Yes."_

_"A talking light. Yes it is a tad… awkward."_

_"Where is Adam?" Eve shrugged._

_"Talking to the beasts." Isabella bobbed her head in acknowledgment as she diligently watched the first woman (second really but Eve never need know that) pick berries. They were dangerously close to the Tree of Knowledge and Uriel trusted her to guard it while he did… whatever he was doing. Eve stepped close to her, her delicate hand brushing the abundant fruit. Isabella darted forward, unsheathing her sword and bring the flat of the blade down hard upon Eve's hand._

_"You mustn't eat fruit from this tree!" she scolded. "Did Father not tell you this?"_

_"He did but… why? I don't understand why?"_

_"Eve, if you eat this fruit… bad things will happen."_

_"Then why did Father put it here? Why did he place this tree in the garden if we are not to eat the fruit from it?"_

_"He has his reasons… just leave this tree alone… just ignore it. It is dangerous. I would not wish the consequences upon you. Leave it be, Eve." Eve nodded, properly chastised and moved on. Isabella watched her go, a heavy feeling in her heart. Hopefully the human would heed her warnings… if not Isabella could not imagine what would happen._

_Once more the scene changed and Isabella was standing outside of Eden. Across from her was Lucifer as the wind whipped around them. She realized that they were standing on a cliffs edge and her hand was on Lucifer's arm, tugging gently._

_"Please, Lu. Please!" she begged as tears rolled down her cheeks._

_"Why should I, Isabella! We are better than them! We came first! It should be us he loves more! Not those mud-monkeys!" he snarled in anger, shaking her off._

_"Please!" she sobbed out. "Father will forgive you, just come back with me! Don't start this war Lu! Don't make me choose!"_

_"I will do as I please, Isabella, now what is your choice. Me or them." She shook her head, tears obscuring her vision, her sobs increasing so that her entire body heaved with each sob._

_"Don't make me, Lu, please don't make me." He seized her roughly by her shoulders, shaking her as his wrath increased._

_"You will choose damnit! Me or them! Your brother or those damnable humans!" He snarled into her face, his eyes were slowly turning red._

_"I can't!" she gasped out. "I can't choose!"_

_"Me or them!" he spat out._

_"Don't make me, Lu, I love you too much." She sobbed harder._

_"And I love you, Sister." He said and yanked her closer. His mouth pressed against hers in a violent kiss and she sobbed into his mouth, cringing and jerking away. "You are mine!"_

_"Lu! Please! Gather your senses! We are siblings, not to be lovers! I don't love you like that!" she gasped out between sobs._

_"Useless!" he growled. "Don't you see, Isabella? With us together nothing can stop us, not even Father."_

_"No! I can't! I can't!" she screamed. "I choose them!"_

_"Then you choose death!" he snarled before shoving her off the cliff._

_The black out lightened with blurred shapes._

_"You agree, my dear?" her father, looking so old. Michael, golden curls and looking too old for his youthful appearance, stood behind her father._

_"Yes. Please. I don't want to hurt anyone." She whispered. She sat still on the floor, large feathered wings drooping slightly around her slumped floor. She was so exhausted. Lucifer has almost ripped her to pieces. It hurt what he and Lilith had done to the humans. It had hurt that all of her warnings to sweet Eve had been for nothing. The demons had gotten their way and the next eternity would be fighting their draw. The war had been so difficult and her heart was heavy from the mass casualties and from her friends and family switching sides. What could they do now? She refused to cause anymore pain. But even her decision was causing the one she loved pain. Castiel fought against Uriel and Raphael. His face twisted with sadness, his light dimmed._

_"Don't! Don't do it, Isabella!" he shouted._

_"I must. There's a reason for this." She said softly as she glanced at Uriel and Raphael who released her broken lover. She cupped his face in her hands, eyes twinkling. "I love you. But it must be done, worry not though. We will meet again, some sunny day." She pressed her lips to his and went back to Michael and her Father. "Do it." She said in a determined voice. And then she was thrashing around and writhing in pain. A moment afterward she awoke in a body not her own with no knowledge of who she had been._

Isabella sat up, gasping for air as she stared at the fan in the ceiling spin lazily. She was alone in the cool room and piles of blanket were atop her. She blinked, once, twice, thrice before laughing joyfully. Everything had an odd shine to it, as if a layer of her eyes had been peeled back and she was seeing everything as if it were new. Despite the chill of the room she wasn't terribly cold. She stepped out of the bed in a smooth, graceful movement and slipped her feet into her slippers before wrapping her robe around herself deftly.

"Cas?" she called softly. Her lover didn't answer but it mattered not. She pranced up the stairs and moved to the kitchen where lowered voices spoke. A wash of emotions and thoughts rushed over her. Idle surface thoughts whispered through her mind.

"Wonder when Izzie's going to get up, I'm so worried about her…" it was Eve, Isabella recognized it immediately.

"Damn rifle, never using that blasted thing again, the kickback nearly dislocated my shoulder, aww… damn it hurts." That sounded like Bobby.

"Why won't she talk to me anymore? What did I do?" Dean's plaintive thoughts were clearly about Eve.

"If she's a full-blown angel will she know about what Ruby and I have been doing?" Sam's thoughts were fearful and she withdrew from the thoughts to focus on Castiel. There was only a vague hum then…

"Beloved, you're awake."

When she stepped into the kitchen Castiel already had his head turned to the door expectantly. Everyone turned to look at her, Dean's jaw unhinged, Bobby started to chuckle under his breath, Sam stared unabashedly at her, and Eve surveyed her carefully.

"Morning!" she chirped cheerfully and helped herself to a blueberry pancake which she rolled up before biting into. "Mmm! This is good!" Without even checking the chair she knew was behind her she sank down and grabbed another pancake.

"You don't seem all that different." Dean finally said followed by a sip of coffee.

"Oh but I am. In fact I feel great! I must have had ten hours of sleep at least!" Everyone around the table exchanged glances and Isabella narrowed her eyes. "Why is everyone doing that?"

"You were asleep for three days." Eve's voice was wooden as she spoke, her posture stiff as she eyed Dean from the rim of her teacup.

"I guess we can get back to our regular schedule." She murmured. "You know hunting things." Everyone turned to look at her. "What?"

"You're going to stay with us?" Sam asked, looking shocked.

"Of course. You don't think we went through all that trouble of raising Dean and restoring my Grace just so I could flit off. I'm a front lines kind of girl. I don't sit up there playing a harp and refusing to get my hands dirty. Nope, we're coming with. I mean I'll have to pop out every once and a while but I'll be watching over you guys in a totally none creepy way…"

"Awesome, now we really do have angel perched on our shoulder!" Dean said pointedly. Castiel rolled his eyes in a decidedly un-angelic way.

"So where's the next hunt?"

"Stratton, Nebraska!" Dean said cheerfully. "We can get going tonight if we all pack quickly!"

"I will not be coming with you." Castiel said after setting down his cup of tea firmly.

"What? Why not?" Isabella hissed in shock. How could Castiel leave her now?

"There are things I must attend to." She narrowed her eyes sullenly.

"Things?" she snarled. "Things! What things?" Castiel sighed, blue eyes weary as he spoke.

"The search for Anna as well as Alastair. The body he was in was destroyed but there is no doubt that he will acquire another one quickly. Anna is a concern though. Uriel has enlisted me to help him. I know that you do not wish for me to part from you… but Isabella you must understand that your knowledge and power as been regained, I am no longer needed here." Isabella stood angrily, hands clenched at her sides.

"No longer needed…" she growled lowly. "No longer needed? Did you ever think that maybe I needed you, not to protect me but to love me?" Tears filled her eyes and everyone wisely made their exit. Castiel sighed again.

"I know, Beloved. I want to stay but I have my job and you have yours."

"What is my job? And where is Father?"

"You know that no one has been in contact with Father for many years. Please, do not do this. Your job, according to Zachariah is to stay with the Winchesters until further notice."

"Zachariah is not my superior! He holds no sway over me, the only superior I have is God!" she snarled. "In fact I outrank that prissy dimwit! Castiel, I order-."

"Please don't." he whispered, his head bowed. "Don't order me like I'm one of the others. I am yours. Your love. Ordering me would be… a breech in trust."

"I'm sorry…"

"I know." Hurt at his bland tone Isabella drew backward.

"I… I guess I'll see you when I see you."

"Isabella… don't withdraw from me, don't-."

"Perhaps it would be best if you leave." Any expression dropped from his face.

"I love you." He whispered before disappearing with a rustle of feathers.

* * *

Later on in the Impala, leaving her trusty SUV with Bobby Isabella stared blankly out the window.

"So what are the facts?" She asks because the silence is killing her. She feels uncomfortable in the car. This metal contraption dulls her senses and its worse than being in a body not her own.

"Bill Gibson. Poor sap was killed in a locked room in his farmhouse." Dean murmurs. Isabella repeats the name, tasting ash and sulphur in her mouth.

"Hell bound." She says suddenly.

"Huh?" Sam twists in his seat to stare at her. She meets his eyes and recoils slightly, unconsciously. There is something inherently wrong about Sam, something she had never sensed before. Perhaps it is the demon blood in him that puts her on edge. She shrugs it off and explains.

"I tasted sulphur in my mouth, sulphur and ash, when I said his name. He's Hell Bound."

"I don't get it…" Dean grouses.

"Give me a name, any name."

"Okay… uh… Angus Young." The taste of honey was thick on her tongue, honey and sunlight as she speaks his name.

"Heaven Bound."

"What? Really? What about Dick Cheney?" Ash and fire and sulphur blossomed on her taste buds.

"Hell. I can tell by saying a person's name if their heaven or hell bound."

"What about us?" Sam asks a strange edge to his voice.

"Now Sam that would be telling, wouldn't it?" She said with a disarming smile. The smile drops suddenly. She goes stiff and her eyes grow wide with confusion.

"Izzie are you-."

"I think that I'm being summoned." She manages to get out before she disappears.

* * *

Raphael stands before her, wearing a pair of scruffy jeans, a pale green t-shirt, and a black zip-up hoodie.

"Ah, Izzie, how are you?" She glances at the boulder to her left, smeared blood and sigils for summoning, and one for her name.

"Fine. Why am I here?" she asked moodily. "You couldn't have, oh I don't know, picked up a phone and called?"

"Oh but I did. A summoning is just like a telephone call." Raphael said moodily and with a small sniff.

"Well what is it? What did you summon me for?"

"Enjoy the view for a moment." He said while turning away from her, his face peaceful as his green-eyes stared out into the darkening valley.

They were standing on a plateau, red dust staining her shoes as she stared out into eternity. She sensed that they were the only souls in the valley at the moment, no human's just animals and them. It was quiet; the soft whisper of the wind was white noise as the sun set before them, casting the sky into fierce reds, royal purples, and twilight blues. All around her there were curious rock formations, entirely natural and red dust stirred only by the wind as they stood silent as statues. The sun disappeared fully, dipping below the horizon as the blue twilight faded to black. Stars appeared slowly, winking into existence, brilliant nebulous gases that had probably burned out years ago.

"Its beautiful." She finally breathed out after nearly three hours of standing still.

"Isn't it? Don't get me wrong, I like the populated parts of the world. So many humans, all so unique and beautiful but this… the solitude out here," he crouched down and plants a hand in the dirt, raising it so that the red dust trickled through his fingers, staining his hands like blood. "I love it. I love the silence and the beauty and feeling the music of the earth in perfect harmony. I love the timelessness of it. Even after this batch of humans has died it will still be here, slowly bending to the will of the elements and time."

"And they must be protected. They must at all costs. The Earth must be protected. I assume whatever you summoned me for it was a half-baked plan on how to save us all." Isabella said tightly, following his train of thought.

"I assure you, it is a fully-baked plan. Granted not sanctioned by any of the Arch or by Zachariah, the pompous ass he is. I don't trust him, Izzie; don't trust many of them anymore at any rate. You and I know well that Father is missing, he's contacted me briefly. He was attacked on sabbatical and trapped in the body with almost no control and little memory."

"I remember the dream, vaguely. We are going to find him?" Raph didn't say anything for a long moment.

"Yes. We will be searching for him but the half-baked plan I have has little to do with him, with the exception that he apparently knew of it and sanctioned it. It's to help Dean and Sam Winchester. The machinations at work from the higher ups make me think that those boys aren't being helped with stopping Lucifer from rising. Ergo I have overridden the system."

"So what's the plan?" she asked hesitantly. Raphael turned to her finally, a smirk twisting one corner of his mouth upward and his green eyes brilliant with mirth.

"We're going to raise Mary and John Winchester." He declared calmly.

* * *

Today was not his day, Dean decided as he dropped down into what appeared to be a crawl space in the basement. First people had decided to move into the house, what was wrong with them? No one lives in a house where someone had died! Then when he had thought that they had taken care of the problem they come back to find the idiots moved in! Not to mention the fact that the ghost turned out to be a human. He hated these kinds of cases. He had no desire to kill a human ever again. The Benders had been enough for him but no, there just had to be a creepy girl who turned out to be very alive. All in all it's been a crappy couple of days. Eve was pointedly ignoring him constantly and had opted to stay at the motel for now, rather then learn anything. Isabella had up and disappeared without any word since. And Sam kept staring at him like he was about to break.

And then there's the fact that it's creepy down there, not that he's afraid but there's a stench that smells all too familiar. His mind flashes to Alastair and Hell. He swallows heavily when he realizes the stench is decay, decomposition. His stomach turns as he crouches down beside a wet mess of leftover flesh and bones. His shoulders relax when he realizes what he's looking at. Dead dog, okay so it looked like it had been partially eaten but its better then dead human at any rate. His eyes hone in on a drawing of two stick figures and something occurs to him, a thought forming but above there's a loud thump and the thought disappears. Oh god, Ted. Dean scrambles to get upstairs but it's too late. His heart squeezes painfully, a life lost that could have helped with his atonement.

* * *

Eve paces the tiny motel room. She's already figured out that its five steps from the door to bathroom but she continues counting them. Back and forth, back and forth. Her phone rings and its Dean. Her thumb hovers over the buttons, Quiet. Answer. Ignore. She answers.

"Hey, we've run into a little problem." She stops her pacing, stomach dropping slightly. "Has Isabella gotten back yet?"

"No. Why?" Her voice is sharp and she knows she sounds a little angry. She can't help it though, she had developed feelings for Dean and she thought that he known, thought that he had reciprocated. Then he had slept with Anna it and became all too obvious to Eve that Dean held no interest in her. She hated that she had let herself become too attached to him and in return she only got heartbreak.

"Look, do you have any weapons. Is there any that we left there?" Dean sounds annoyed by her but Eve ignores it. She looks around but all she sees is the duffle bags of clothes.

"Nothing."

"There should be some things between mattresses or under pillows. Get them and bring them here as fast as you can. We need some serious help."

"Okay, jeez, I'll get there as fast as I can. It would help if I had a car."

"Can't you just hotwire one? Come on, Eve, this is serious."

"And you are seriously pissing me off. I need a minute to think!"

"Just get your ass here!" Dean snarled and hung up. Eve scowled at the phone for a long minute before shoving it into her pocket angrily. She checked beneath their pillows and the mattress finding two guns and a couple of knifes. She also found a gigantic shotgun in the closet. She loads the weapons into a duffle bag and sighs softly. The weight in the bag was comforting, feeling like the dead weight of clothes. Now that Isabella was restored and missing it seemed like Eve wasn't even needed here. She had tagged along being Izzie was her best friend and had been for a very long time. Eve knew she wasn't really needed here but she wanted to stay. She wanted to keep a close eye on Dean, he was drinking still and it worried her. A bigger part of her… just want to run. She wanted to pack her bags and leave, go back to normal life and forget about all of hullabaloo. She wanted to forget about her past lives, the fact God and angels were real, and just settle down. The world would either end or move on without her.

With slumped shoulders Eve pulled open the door and trudged into the parking lot. Luckily there was beat Geo Tracker parked in a remote part of the lot. Eve slipped her way through the shadows, eyes scanning the parking lot with the veil dropped so she could see any demon coming at her. She got to the rusted piece of crap and looked around her, making sure no one was around before she placed a hand on the hood. The car whined to life and the doors unlocked. She got in and tossed the duffle bag in back before through the car into drive.

* * *

He stood wrapped in shadows, not very far from Eve in fact. She should be able to see him, if he wanted her to that is. But he's cloaked himself well. Now is not the time to reveal his presence, no not quite yet. He must wait for the perfect time to strike, when her defenses are low, when she's yearning and lost and alone. His heart burns in his chest and he clenches his hands into fists as he watches her glance furtively around the parking lot. He touches the tattoo on his wrist, the one that connects him to Asmodai and smiles. It's been so very long since he's seen Eve; he tires of her slavish devotion to him. He tires from the game he plays with her. Poor oblivious Eve, her fevered love for him perpetually blinding her, the punishment for her tempting him. Yes it was high time that he track her down and have his fun. She had gone unpunished for far too long. He watched silently as she drove out of the parking lot with her chosen car.

His cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he checked the caller ID before picking up.

"Hey baby…" he murmured.

"Don't you 'hey baby' me Adam Smith! You stood me up! Again! I waited at the restaurant for two hours! Two fucking hours!"

"Kat, please… I'm sorry, I'm working on this big project for the firm and I guess I lost track of time. Lemme make it up to you, I'll make you dinner tomorrow night. How does that sound?"

"Fine."

"It'll be great, sweetie, you'll see."

"When will you be home?"

"An hour tops. Love ya."

"I love you too." He hung up and smiled to himself. All he had to do was get Kat out of the way and wait for the perfect moment to reveal himself to Eve. This was gonna be fun.

* * *

A/N: well… I guess all of you are saying, FINALLY! And then throwing shit at the screen… oops. Sorry? No! Not rotten tomatoes! Anyway, it's been a long eventful however long it's been since I last updated. My cat had kittens (which then they proceeded to get ringworm), school started, and a friend of mine (one that I don't consider much more then a friend, not even a good friend) is getting married, guess who the happy maid of honor is? Yup, me. Surly, bitchy, sarcastic, blunt me. You have no idea how hard it is for me to keep my mouth shut about my personal opinions on getting married at 20, the fact her fiancé seemed forced into it and many, many other things like the fact they are clearly better off as friends, their love is so platonic. Oh and the dresses, ew. Just ew. They are heinous and totally not flatting, at least on me. Strapless (I'd be falling out all over the place), sweetheart neckline (also bad), backless (I just don't look good in backless) and gold (wow with my pale skin, I'll be washed out to the max) ugh. They are friggin' hideous. But enough about me… How awesome were the past five episodes?! Favorite lines so far, "Eat it, Twilight!", "God is not on any flatbread!", "Lucifer's wearing Sam to the prom?!" "I think its time for you to wash up for the orgy." Man they're too many too count anyway. What did everyone think of Five Years Later Cas? I fucking loved him, he was so… skeevy. But it also made me sniffle a little because it was also very sad that he was just this lost, doped up, human. Oh and Chuck? I loved Chuck; he's like Andy and Ash smooshed together. He's comment about the toilet paper was pure gold (cuz it is!). The whole thing Rhonda Hurley, yes I have plans with that… I have lots of plans… Anyway I totally called Sam and Dean being vessels, I love winning bets. And Raphael, mine is totally better, right? Right? And finally… Cas at a whore house, or rather a den of iniquity… so gold its like Donald Trump's private plane! Just perfect, Misha Collins is excellent as usual, and I love that Cas is loosening up. I loved how sheepish he was when Dean asked him if had ever done the deed. And so offended, "I haven't exactly had the time!" Damn he is just too much sometimes. But I am glad that he's not totally naive and confused like some people think he is. By the way… I like to think that human Cas is a bit like regular old Misha, just a little bit in the dirty hippie way… in the immortal words of Paris Hilton, "That's Hot." As for Paris Hilton, I actually wasn't cringing while watching, I thought she was hilarious. Well, signing off once more, next chapter should be up sooner then this one, as its not based off an episode, and I already have about half done. Oh and question? I was going to just have 'Lucifer Rising' be the end of 'Absolution' but expand it into an epic battle with an ambiguous victory but now with the new season out…. I'm not so sure, what do you guys think?

Thanks to; ercys girl, JayJay2424, sirripojken, winterseas, .Nyx Farsiris., ferbear, and Walking Enigma for the adds.

Review Responses:

MonzaBird: LOL Thanks, yeah, the whole thing with her losing it in the first place wasn't part of the plan until it occurred to me that if full blown angels like Cas and Uriel are sent "away" then wouldn't her grace disappear? Oh man… I totally hate Anna, mainly because she was kind of a tramp, sleeping with Dean and then kind of hitting on Cas, and also being she was kind of a whiner… all "Oh woe! I just wanna have sex and eat cake" its like, "Bitch shut up and get over it."

JuliaAurelia: I've been such a lazy bitch lately… I am determined not to end up leaving 'Absolution' to the 12 chapter curse, I never seem to make it past 12 chapters… but I happen to like this much more then any previous writings. It is ridiculously difficult to work on the OC's with the plot of the episodes, which is why I'm always slowly with chapters that work with the show. Hope this update is just as good as the last one…

AGRIMLIKEDOG: Yeah, I've kind of been neglecting writing some fanfiction lately. I'm soooo lazy during the summer at least. I totally agree with you, Half-Blood Prince is my favorite out of all of the movies, Tom Felton kicks ass. He was amazing! I saw it the night before I had to wake up at 7:00 in the morning for the first day of school and normally I would regret getting home at one in the morning when I have to get up so early but it was totally worth it, even if my friend did make fun of me for crying during the last half-hour. One of my friends told me not to see it because, "it sucked, they didn't even stick to the book and blah blah blah, I'm a killjoy." All she did was bitch about it even after I told her that I didn't care because I thought it was awesome. Some people, they're just meant to be killjoys. Anyway… I hope you enjoyed this chapter, despite the obnoxiously long wait for it!

AnnabelleLee: Dude me too! That archangel totally won, at least at the moment but then God (and despite what the other angels say I do believe it was God) made Cas whole again! LMAO, Uriel was booted from the Bible? That is probably why he's pissed all the time. I would be too…

Ash: Thank you! I hope this chapter is up to snuff with the last one, I feel like I can't top that last one but darn it I tried!

AngelwithDirtyToughts: I'm so happy that Isabella hasn't been lame; there are a few stories that I've seen that seem to follow that same line of 'Absolution'. I haven't read any of them but I'm curious about them, kind of wondering if 'Absolution' has been ripped off. Oh man, I didn't like Anna either… I know exactly what you mean, she was just so… ugh. Eve and Dean will work out their issues but I don't think it'll be soon… more like in five chapters or something. But when they do work things out… well the deed will be done! I have to agree with you about spoilers, I love them! A lot of my friends hate them because they think it ruins everything but it just makes me say, "Oh my god! I wanna see that episode right now!"

Ferbear: Sorry this took forever but I'm glad you're enjoying 'Absolution'. Cas really doesn't get much love, or at least good, well-written love. LOL

Lizzie queen: Well this is a month an half later then I meant it to be, I actually was a page or two away from finishing the chapter and then… I got lazy/busy. I suck.

JayJay2424: Thank you! Sorry it took me a month to update, I get lazy and burned out easily but I'm back in the game! I was really into Castiel slash for the span of half a fic, then I just got grossed out by things like wing porn. What the hell is that? OH MY GOD!!! EXIT EXIT EXIT! That pretty much sums up my reaction to Castiel slash. Sadly I haven't had a chance to look at Castiel fics that are slashless, but I'm also kind of afraid to, either someone will be better than me or someone will be ripped me off, that came off a little arrogant. Anyway… I do have plans for Dean and Eve, they will (eventually) end up together, but I wanted to make it a tad harder for them then it is for Cas and Isabella. Because after all, Eve is supposed to be with Adam. I friggin' loved the season premier! I went wild when Cas appeared and kicked some angelic ass. I love how he used the thingy from On the Head of a Pin, the thing Uriel used. It was so badass! Cas is definitely cooler this time around…

P.S. I like exclamation points!


	11. All These Things That I've Done

Title: Absolution

Author: TigerTiger02

Chapter Title: All These Things That I've Done

Spoilers: pretty much if you haven't seen any season four you probably shouldn't be reading this since Castiel is featured heavily. Pre-"I Know What You Did Last Summer"…. And considering this has been Kripke'd (although I've been working on it for a good month) I think you all know where this is heading…

Summary: Castiel's retrieves Sam and Dean for a mission from God. Guess they didn't expect it to be an Atomic-Bomb Girl. Or she'd be broken and a one mouthy-girl. Shameless Castiel/OC.

Disclaimer: not mine, if it was I would totally take Castiel home as pet, he's just so darn cute!

Dedication: to Nikki, who has been here with me every step of the way, and to all the readers and reviewers, you totally make my life!

_When there's nowhere else to run  
Is there room for one more son  
One more son  
If you can hold on  
If you can hold on, hold on  
I wanna stand up, I wanna let go  
You know, you know - no you don't, you don't  
I wanna shine on in the hearts of men  
I wanna mean it from the back of my broken hand_

_Another head aches, another heart breaks  
I am so much older than I can take  
And my affection, well it comes and goes  
I need direction to perfection, no no no no_

_Help me out  
Yeah, you know you got to help me out  
Yeah, oh don't you put me on the back burner  
You know you got to help me out_

_And when there's nowhere else to run  
Is there room for one more son  
These changes ain't changing me  
The gold-hearted boy I used to be_

_Yeah, you know you got to help me out  
Yeah, oh don't you put me on the back burner  
You know you got to help me out  
You're gonna bring yourself down  
Yeah, you're gonna bring yourself down  
Yeah, you're gonna bring yourself down_

_I got soul, but I'm not a soldier  
I got soul, but I'm not a soldier_

_-The Killers "All These Things That I've Done"_

* * *

Dean stumbled back to the motel room, he was dead tired, his neck hurt like a bitch, and he had drank a little more than he intended. He would never look at a Magician the same way, that's for sure. Unlocking the door he was already toeing off his boots by the time he closed the door behind him. In one of the beds Eve awoke with a jerk.

"Damnit… I just fell asleep…" she snarled and sat up to watch him with a glare.

"Sorry." Dean muttered and put his jacket on one of the chairs. He pulled his shirt off and ambled to the bathroom.

"Izzie called." Dean glanced over at Eve who stood in the doorway. He let his eyes wander her form appreciatively as she examined her nails. She wore a pair of cotton sleeping shorts and a tank-top, her hair was tousled from sleep and she looked… worn. He winced inwardly, knowing that he was possibly the cause of her perpetual exhaustion. If Sam wasn't there to mediate they fought almost constantly.

"Yeah, where the hell is she?" he asked examined his neck, the bruises were already pretty vivid and they would only get worse. He splashed his face with cold water before moving onto brushing his teeth.

"She wouldn't say. Only that she was with Raphael, that she hadn't seen Cas in awhile, and that she wouldn't be back for another week or so."

"What took her so long to call?" He asked through a mouth of toothpaste.

"Oh she's called a few times but I guess it just slipped my mind." Dean rolled his eyes and spat out some toothpaste foam.

"Anything else you'd like to tell me, _Princess_?" he snapped and Eve rolled her eyes to the ceiling thoughtfully.

"Nope. Try to keep it down, I'm going back to bed." She said flippantly before prancing back to bed. Dean shot a glare and closed the bathroom door before stripping fully. He stepped under the lukewarm, weak spray of the water and closed his eyes.

He didn't know what to do about Eve, for the past couple of months she had been cold towards him, short with him, and she was constantly ignoring him. He hated it, he knew that they hadn't known each other long but… he had enjoyed being around her. She was fun, smart, and just all-around awesome. He could pin-point the exact time she had done a 180 on him; it was after he had slept with Anna. Somehow, he wasn't sure how, Eve had found out about it and wasn't very happy with him. He wanted to make it up to her but he didn't know how. It seemed like since coming back from Hell nothing had seemed right.

Sam had been acting weird for months now, hanging out with Ruby, doing that weird thing with his powers. The words of the Yellow Eyed Demon came back to him, _"You saw what your brother just did to Jake, right? That was pretty cold, wasn't it? How certain are you that what you brought back is 100 percent pure Sam? You of all people should know, that's what's dead, should stay dead…"_ Boy did Dean know; he knew that Sam wasn't Sam anymore. Oh sure there were times that he was still the snot-nosed brat from before Stanford, and even in the year after. But… most of the time… most of the time Dean looked at him and it was like looking at a stranger. Sam had changed. He had been changing since before Dean died. And when he did, when he went to Hell, well Sam had gone on changing, changing into someone that Dean secretly (very secretly and deep down inside so far down that Dean was barely aware of it) despised. He knew that if he wasn't related to Sam, if he didn't have the whole 'protect your brother' and 'families all you got' drilled into his head constantly that Dean would have taken him out years ago, long before he had even become a threat. Because Dean knew that there was something wrong about Sammy, something had always been wrong about him and now it was just noticeable.

There were times when Dean wished he had put an end to this, back when Sam had started showing more and more signs of being 'special' after that whole Croatoan incident. Dean had ignored the orders his dad had given him, it had been too much to ask of him at the time, now though, well they do say hindsight is twenty/twenty. He had definitely changed since Hell, had changed since he had sold his soul. He knew that there was a large part of him that was ruthless, cold, and vicious. He saw that part of him in his nightmares every night. Saw the monster he was inside, the monster Alastair had made him into, had carved him into. He knew that what he was now, despite his exuberance in saving people that his soul would always remain blackened, would always be damned. He also knew that if push came to shove he would balk at killing Sammy; he would even if there something inside of him howling, telling him to just do it. Hell, he wished he could just save a cheerleader to save the world, but life wasn't like that.

The sad thing was that normally it would be Dean and Sam against the world, saving the world, saving people, and hunting things. This time was different, it wasn't about finding dad and killing as many evil sons a bitches as they could along the way. It wasn't about tracking the Yellow Eyed Demon and killing the bastard. It wasn't about saving Dean's soul from Hell, or putting back all the demons that had come through the Gate. It was literally about stopping the apocalypse, stopping Lucifer from rising, and stopping Lilith from breaking those damn seals. And while Sam and Dean were on the same side… they were bent on going about it in completely different ways. Dean wanted to do it the way they always had, with guns in their hands, knowledge on their side, and well maybe just a sprinkle of angels. Sam wanted to use his freaky demon powers, powers that terrified Dean. Those powers were dangerous, they were what Sam had said Ava could do, granted she summoned things rather then kicked their ass back to Hell. But still, hadn't someone said the road to Hell was paved with good intentions? He knew Sammy had the best of intentions at heart but would it kill him to listen to Dean? Didn't he realize that no good could come out of using powers given to him by the demon that had killed their mother? And Dean… Dean was just waiting for the day Sammy's eyes turned yellow or black. And Dean… Dean would have to kill his baby brother. He would have to put that knife into his baby brother's ribs, or heart, or neck, or whatever.

Dean twirled the knob and the water trickled to a stop. He gave himself a quick drying and stepped out of the shower, examining himself in the mirror after a moment. He was thirty, surprise he had been right when he had thought he wouldn't make it this far. He had been dead only a few months after his twenty-ninth. Of course he was then resurrected… so he was thirty, and alive. Or maybe he was seventy. Add on another forty years to his soul age because Hell counted. The most of amazing thing though was coming back whole, no crooked fingers, no more scars that littered his body, no more joints that clicked from being dislocated one too many times. No more awful hearing from too many shots fired without any ear protection. No more painful arthritis in his fingers even though he was far too young to have any. He had come back unblemished with the exception of the burn on his shoulder. But his soul hadn't come back whole. Despite all the bodily upgrades he had gotten they had neglected his soul for the most part. He knew he was lucky to be sane and coherent but the memories from Hell were intact.

His fingers ghosted over his face, there, just there, he could see crow's feet forming, smile lines etching themselves into his skin. His age was just barely beginning to show. Ironic considering that if one including Hell time he was seventy, an old man long past his prime. God, there were some days he felt it too. He was tired all of the time from too many nightmares, memories, and whiskey full flasks. He was tired of this life. He was tired of looking after his brother all of the time. He'd paid his dues. He'd paid his dues to this world and they brought him back. All he could do now was fight and hope for the best.

With a sigh Dean broke his staring contest with his reflection and crept into the dim motel room. Eve was curled on her side, her face relaxed as she breathed deeply. He waited for a moment before deeming her deeply asleep. He hung the towel to dry on the doorknob of the bathroom and slipped into a pair of basic black boxer-briefs. He debated on a shirt and finally pulled one on. He slipped into the remaining bed with a soft snicker. It looked like Sammy would be getting the tiny, crappy cot tonight. Just before he drifted off to sleep he took a couple of shot from the bottle under the bed and hid a knife beneath the pillow.

* * *

The cemetery was dark and lonely; then again it was three in the morning. Isabella stared down at the dug-up grave silently while Raphael muttered in Enochian a spell that would cloak them from human or demon sight, for now at least. They had both agreed that Mary should be brought back first. She would probably take the news better and wouldn't try to kill them, at least they hoped so.

"So what do I have to do again?" She asked as Raphael glanced at the grave and nodded in approval of the job she had done at re-digging it up.

"Good, good, we'll open the coffin just after I finish. All you have to do is hold my hand so I can siphon some of your power."

"Right. Ready?"

"No." Raphael said honestly and withdrew a vial of blood from his pocket. Isabella knew it was Dean's blood; after all they did need something with Mary's DNA in it. Raphael nicked his palm with a knife just after emptying the vial into his palm. She did the same and gripped his hand tightly as he spoke. The words were sharp edged and guttural in tone. His voice hardly rose in volume but Isabella was glowing brightly already. It was different then when she was with Castiel. The glow was blinding and pure white. She could feel Raphael slowly siphoning away her power. It wasn't until her knees buckled and she sat dizzily that anything happened from the grave. There was a sonic boom and a radiation of wind from the grave, Raphael howled the last few words and ripped his hand from hers before slamming his hand, coated in the mixture of their blood, to the ground. There was a deafening silence until a loud intake of breath from the coffin followed by banging and a muffled scream.

"Best get her out then." Isabella said and hopped down into the grave. She pried up the top of the coffin with a crow bar and stared into the wide panicked hazel eyes of Mary Winchester. She noted with a sense of wry humor that Dean had Mary's eyes.

"Wha-what? Wh-who?" Mary stuttered out and then violently coughed. Isabella held out a slim hand and hoisted the woman out of the coffin and helped her sit a few feet from the grave. She wrapped a blanket around the shivering woman.

"Mary Winchester, what do you remember?" Raphael asked as he crouched in front of her. She met his eyes unflinchingly.

"What are you?" she asked, her voice barely wavering.

"My name is Raphael. I am an archangel of the Lord." He said without expression. Mary blinked at him and promptly fainted.

"Well that went well." Isabella said sarcastically, Raphael shot her a glare.

"Shut up."

* * *

To say that Mary Winchester was confused, horrified, and agonized was an understatement. Tearfully she took the tissue that was offered by the dark-haired woman that crouched in front of her.

"Do you see now? Why we had to bring you back? It would have been done sooner but… well management behind the Pearly Gates has been a bit lax lately."

"It's my fault. It's all my fault… if I hadn't…"

"But you did and it happened, nothing can change that. Nothing. But it isn't your fault Mary; believe me when I say this. Its Azazel's fault, and Lilith's, and Lucifer's… and mine." Mary stared at the young woman intently.

"Yours?"

"Mine. I'm not like Raphael… I'm not just another angel… I was created simultaneously with Lucifer. You could say we're twins. I could have stopped him, could have annihilated him but… I couldn't. He is my brother after all… I was weak then. Not this time, Mary. This time I won't let him rise." The woman stood and brushed off the dirt from her knees.

"Who are you?" Mary asked and the woman cocked her head in an odd sort of manner before smiling.

"Isabella. It's a pleasure to meet you." The smile warms Mary up, as silly as it sounds.

"What happens now?" She asked tentatively. Oh god, her babies… she would see her babies again. But they would be all grown up. Dean would be thirty now and Sammy would be twenty-six. And… how bizarre, her oldest son was older than her now.

"Well… not quite." Raphael said and Mary frowned at him, had he just read her thoughts? "Yes. We angels do that. We added a few years to your age. About fifteen. Hope you don't mind."

"Mind? No… I feel great actually!"

"Good. You should, you got a shot of pure Grace running through your veins, like Dean does and like John will." Isabella said while quirking another smile. "As it should be since-."

"Let's not mention that one." Raphael said quickly. Mary looked between them.

"What is it?"

"Nothing." Isabella said with a shrug while giving Raphael a look. There was a long moment when neither of them spoke but their eyebrows kept leaping around and their facials expressions kept changing until-. "Alright fine!" Isabella snapped out before taking a vial of blood from her pocket and upending it onto her hand. She sliced her palm open and Raphael repeated the motion. They clasped hands and Mary had never heard anything like the language he spoke. It sounded like a mixture of languages, at points she could swear it was Latin but couldn't figure out what was said. The light emitted from Isabella was blinding bright and starting to hurt her eyes.

"You might want to cover your eyes and ears!" Isabella shouted and Mary did as instructed. Beyond the dim muffled volume she was getting she could hear a loud boom and she felt unnatural wind race across her skin. Silence hung in the air for a long moment before Mary dared straightening from her huddled position. John was lying there, looking confused and disorientated. Her heart stumbled and stuttered in her chest.

"M-Mary?" He stuttered out while standing. He looked around with a frown. "This is the cemetery you were buried in… what happened?"

"John Winchester." Raphael intoned solemnly. Then John lunged, capturing the angel into a choke hold but Raphael made no move to strike back. Instead he sent Isabella a significant look.

"John Winchester welcome back."

"Who the hell are you? I want to know whose neck I'm snapping." John snarled.

"Oh by all means, snap his neck, it won't do anything, can't kill an angel without the proper equipment." Isabella said carelessly as she began to fill in the empty grave.

"What?" John hissed. "Angels don't-."

"Oh sorry, guess you're one of those that can't see. Can't say I'm surprised. Dean's the same way and don't even get me started about Sammy. How about now?" There was the sudden crack and clash of thunder and lightning as great black shadow wings stretched from her back, her electric grey eyes focused entirely on John. "We are not the fluffy cherubs that come to mind when most people think of angels. We are warriors, silent and invisible sentries always watching and waiting. You think that we are not here because of all the bad things that have happened? Ever hear of fate John? We cannot stop what has already been put into action." She snarled angrily. "Now let Raphael go." With silent shock John's gripe loosened and Raphael ducked away from him.

"Way to take your time, Iz." Raphael hissed angrily.

"Sorry. Just wanted to drive the point home." Isabella murmured.

"I think seeing his sons might just hammer it in a bit more."

"I think maybe we need to explain some things first." Isabella said before turning to John. "John Winchester, we'll catch you up to speed on certain thing but I really think you should hear most of the story from your sons." Isabella said softly as she continued to fill the grave.

* * *

Dean buried his face into his pillow and groaned as his phone rang.

"Dean… Dean… answer your fucking phone!" Eve snarled from across the room. With a sigh Dean finally rolled over fumbling for the phone he knew was at the bedside table. The last few weeks had been rough what with reliving the memories of that brief but awful month where he had gone to Truman high school during his senior year. It brought back a lot of sore memories from his childhood, as an adult Dean now realized that his hero worship of his father was a bit… well blind. Looking back at it he realized that while John had done his best to take care of them it probably would have been better if he had just left Sam and Dean with Pastor Jim or Bobby, both men were perfectly capable of taking care of the two. It kind of pissed Dean off when he realized how much he had missed out on because of his dad constantly moving them around. With a grunt he eyed the name on the caller ID before answering.

"Hey Bobby, a bit early for social calls, so what's up?" When Bobby spoke it was hesitantly.

"Dean… I don't know how to tell you this but… uh… your Dad's truck is gone." Dean felt a cold numbness sliding over him.

"What?" his voice was rough and harsh.

"I don't know where it went, it was here last night and now it's gone. I'm sorry Dean; I know that its one of the last things you have of his."

"Was there anything left inside, that could be traced back to us?"

"No. You took all of the weapons; there was nothing but the truck itself and the keys, which are also gone by the way. Though I don't know how considering I had them in a lockbox. I'm really sorry Dean." Dean ran a hand through his hair and across his face.

"No, its okay Bobby, really its fine. I guess it was time we got rid of it anyway, would have been better it we could have gotten some money for it though."

"Yeah guess so. Alright Dean, I just thought you should know, take care,"

"You too Bobby." Dean flipped his phone shut and sighed. Sam was watching him carefully from the cramped cot that he had slept on that night.

"What did Bobby want?" he asked slowly as Eve's phone rang. She brightened up and answered, speaking in low tones. Sam turned his eyes back to Dean and stood, making the bed on the cot before folding it up neatly in the corner.

"He was calling because someone stole Dad's truck."

"Shit, was there anything incriminating in there?"

"No, the weird thing is the keys are missing too, and it was behind a locked gate."

"Huh. Weird." Sam says lost in musing as he pulls on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. It's his turn to get breakfast.

"Hey guys?" They turn to Eve who is twisting her hair around her fingers, cell phone glued to her ear. She looks nervous.

"What is it?" Dean asks, standing swiftly.

"Uhm… Izzie says to brace yourself and go outside. She has a surprise for you." The boys exchange glances and Dean slips Ruby's knife into the waistband of the jeans he pulls on. He pulls on a shirt and shrugs on his jacket. Sam glances at him warily before checking the magazine of the Smith and Wesson; he clicks the safety on and jams it down the back of his pants before covering the grip with his shirt. Dean also takes a moment to slip the Colt 1911 into the waistband of his pants and they both move to the door. Dean heads out first, stance tense as he keeps one hand close to the knife. However the world suddenly tilts strangely because holy shit…

"Is that…?" Sam doesn't finish the sentence, instead glancing around the empty parking lot as his hand goes to the small of his back where the cool metal teases his skin.

"Dad's truck. Son of a bitch." Dean snarls. "This is one fucked up surprise."

"Oh that's not all." A voice chirps from beside him and before he can think the knife is lodged in between Izzie's collar bone and shoulder bone. "Gee, thanks Dean, way to ruin one of my favorite shirts." She snarls and wraps a slender hand around the knife.

"Oh my god, are you okay?" Sam half-shouts and Izzie lifts a delicate eyebrow.

"Uhm, Sam? Can you help me? I uh… I think it's stuck. Thanks Dean, really from the bottom of my heart."

"Sorry. You startled me."

"You should learn by now."

"You shouldn't sneak up on twitchy hell-refugees."

"You should take a closer look at the truck." Izzie shoots back cheerfully before grunting in pain as Sam wrenches the knife out finally. A moment she rolls her shoulder with a frown.

"Why should I-?" Dean stops, his eyes grow wide and his lips part as his jaw loosens and drops. "Dad…" he breathes out and Sam turns away from examining Isabella's shoulder.

"What?" He exclaims before his eyes zero on the woman who he couldn't remember but had seen in pictures. "Oh my god… Mom…" And Sam is striding across the parking lot before he can think. Dean stays still, hands clenching and unclenching as he glances at Isabella.

"Dean… I-." she starts to stutter out.

"Shut up." He snaps before striding after Sam. Sam is crying like a great big baby as he hugs their Dad and then their Mom. John looks at Dean and grins.

"Hey Dean… how about a hug for your old man?" John says with that stupid fucking grin. Dean sees red.

"_You son of a bitch!_" Dean growls and snaps out a quick right hook. John stumbles backward, shock on his face as he stares at his oldest son. "You don't get to come back from wherever the hell your were after laying all this shit on me, after everything I've gone through to protect Sammy, to do my job, which by the way has gotten me stuck in the middle of a lot of shit that makes me wanna claw my fucking eyes out. You don't get to come back like some big damn hero." Mary placed at hand on his shoulder and Dean shrugged it off. "Do not even get me started, do the words: stay the fuck in bed on November 2, 1983 mean anything to you? And seriously? You were a hunter, you should know better than to take a shoddy deal that isn't really worth it. I'm out of here." Dean turned quickly, his expression thunderous as he strode away, not even glancing at the Impala.

"That went well." Isabella murmured.

"I'm going after him, that boy needs an ass-kicking!" John snarled angrily and started after Dean. Sam darted in front of him.

"No. He just needs processing time, you know that Dad. We'll give him until midnight and if he hasn't dragged his sorry, drunk ass back here Eve and I will go look for him."

"Actually you know what. I'm gonna go after him now." Eve said as she emerged from the room.

"Eve, are you sure?" Sam asked.

"I'll be fine Sammy, already got the second sight on full." She said with a half-smile. She turned around swiftly and took off at a jog. Sam watched her for a moment before turning back to his parents.

"So uh… I guess we should catch up." Sam murmured awkwardly.

"Let's go inside." Isabella said and herded them into the hotel room. "I'll stay, as a mediator." Sam meets her eyes startled and knows that she knows. He hangs back and catches her arm in an accidentally tight grasp.

"Isabella? Can we talk?" He asks softly as his parents enter the room, oblivious to the scene behind them. He doesn't know if it's because Isabella makes them oblivious or if they really are. Isabella turns luminous bright eyes to his and her expression is serene.

"I think its best that we leave this conversation for later, Sam. When others aren't present." She says softly, her expression turns sad for a moment before she puts a hand on his. "I will say though, that there are other means to that end." And she breaks away from him, expression solemn before she enters the dark room. Sam follows her quietly, mind a million miles away.

* * *

John stands with his feet planted apart, parallel to his shoulders as he folds his arms over his chest and studies the room. The walls are devoid of paper clippings and printed news articles. However Sam's laptop sits humming on the tiny table in the room, open windows of emails with other hunters or friends who wondered when exactly he had dropped off the face of the planet. The two beds are unmade and there's a folded up cot in the corner. The room shows little evidence of them actually being on a hunt but its clear there are three occupants of the room. The two double beds and the cot are evidence of this.

His mind is whirling with information. For a couple of weeks they had bunked down in a hotel room with Isabella and Raphael, learning all they could about the boy's life so far and not to mention acclimatizing Mary to the digital age. She had after all missed most of the eighties and on. It hadn't been easy on Mary and it sure as shit hadn't been easy on him. He found himself wondering if they could have avoided all of this heartache if Mary had told him from the get-go, or at least after that son of a bitch demon had killed Mary's parents, and himself. What would have happened if Mary had told him everything after he awoke, confused, in her arms?

He hated these foreign thoughts. Mary had been put on a pedestal the moment she had died and John had never looked back. Now though, he was finding things out about his wife that made him think differently. He knew now that Mary was just as flawed as him and that she wasn't the woman he'd thought she was, not that it changed his love for her, knowing any of this. But it certainly changed a lot between them, it changed and threw off their whole dynamic and it changed the mission that he had held close to his heart for twenty-two years. No longer was this about avenging his dead wife but helping his sons, now men, fight to survive. Fight against the overwhelming tide of the apocalypse.

"Dad?" Sam's voice was hesitant, like a little boys but Sam wasn't a child anymore. His youngest son was strong, confident, and a slinking predator, much like Dean, now. His youngest son was a man of twenty-six years. He was changed even from the last time he had seen him. There was still that hint of quick snapping anger but there was also this calmness, this levity to the young man that hadn't existed before. He was finally at peace with his role as a hunter now.

"Sam." John said as he turned on his heel to view his son. Sam met his eyes fully and stubbornly lifted his chin, some things never changed. He reached out an his hand fell heavy on Sam's shoulder, the younger man stiffening with contact but he did not flinch away. "Come here, kid." John said fondly and hugged Sam tightly for a moment before thumping him on the back lightly. They parted and John watched as, for the second time in twenty-six years, Mary and Sam hug. Mary starts crying again and Sam fusses over her.

"_Mom_, no don't cry, _Mom_… its okay," he murmurs and John can tell he relishes the title he has never used directly.

"You're just so… big now… and I missed it all. I'm so sorry Sammy…" she whispers brokenly and Sam just hugs her tightly.

"Its okay, Mom. Really there are still some big moments left once we get out of this mess. We still have college graduation, though I don't think I want to be a lawyer anymore. We still have to get me married and grandchildren and…" he trails off and meets John's eyes steadily and somehow, somehow the eldest Winchester knows that Sam doesn't mean a damn word. Oh he means them but he knows as well as John that the possibility of any of that happening without turning his back on this mess is slim to none. And Sam's old enough now to know that he and Dean have a job, that they all have a job and survival of themselves doesn't trump the survival of the human race. They both know that if sacrifices are needed there is to be no hesitation. Which sparks thoughts in John's head of Sam's… uniqueness, which had yet to be covered by neither of the angels or Sam himself. Sam and Mary part but sit next to each other on one of the beds as the angel (who he finds to be abrasive and obnoxious) stands at the window with a hand dropped low to hip, as if touching a weapon for a comfort and stares out into the parking lot with a steady gaze.

The angel, Isabella, had revealed little about herself but had been quick and vicious in dispatching any demons that had made themselves known the past few weeks. The first time light had lit her skin immediately and she had thrown off arching electric shocks that made her deadly to touch. Her star lit eyes had narrowed in concentration as her expression went cold. She had managed to get atop a struggling demon and held him down with on hand on his throat as she placed the other slender, delicate hand on his face.

"I do not wish to do this, as you were once brethren Jophial but you have forced my hand as it is my duty to protect the Winchester's at all cost. I will make it as painless as possible, old comrade. I hope you find your peace." She had said steadily before there was a flashing light from within the demon and his struggles ceased. She had stood wearily, no longer looking like the powerful being she was but instead a defeated ghost of the girl she had been. Her eyes fluttered closed as a fluent prayer in a dead language left her lips. Her eyes snapped opened and she straightened as if noticing then that two humans had witnessed her, a divine being's, moment of weakness.

"Dad?" there came Sam's questioning tone again and John forced himself from his deep introspective thoughts.

"I'm listening. You boys on a hunt?" John asked reflexively. Sam glanced at Isabella quickly before turning his eyes back to John after the angel gave him no indication of being against whatever his silent question had been.

"No. We just got done with one though…"

"Anything interesting?" John asked and Sam's lips twisted wryly.

"Wasn't a homicidal ghost truck but yeah. I guess. Got to relive some of high school and Dean realized his true ambition of being a gym teacher, a sadist in red shorts." John felt his eyebrows jump in surprise. "Power trip." Sam said with a shrug.

"Last interesting case?" John asked

"Probably the mess we were in a couple of months ago…" Sam trails off glancing at the angel once more. She says nothing but whatever Sam noticed made him change the subject quickly.

"So… any questions…" Sam says awkwardly and John wonders what suddenly made him clam up.

"Yeah, the angels only gave us the bare amount of information on what's been going down lately but what I want to know is how did you two manage to kick start the apocalypse?" Sam's eyes widen and he looks away, this time he swallows heavily.

"Uh… it's a long, long story and well… some of it is Dean's to tell. So…"

"I want to know everything Sammy, tell me about college and birthdays and friends you had and-." Mary cuts herself off at Sam's closed off look.

"It's mostly been about hunting, for as long as I can remember but I didn't know it was hunting until I was old enough. So I guess you didn't miss much… vampires and werewolves and wendigoes oh my." Sam says dryly. Mary shakes her head.

"Okay then, tell me about your first hunt." She says brightly but John knows what the tightening of her mouth means and widened eyes. She shoots him a look that says 'I'm-Going-To-Yell-At-You-Later' before turning back to Sam and taking his hands into her own.

* * *

Eve weaved through the crowded bar on her way back from the bathroom and was thankful to see that Dean hadn't left or thrown any punches in the five minutes she had been away. She slides onto the barstool next to him and took a swig of her drink.

"So, anyway you were saying?" She said lightly and Dean glanced over at her, jaw tight with unspoken anger before he turned back to his drink.

"I thought I told you to buzz off." He mutters into his drink before taking a gulp. He grabbed the bottle of Johnnie Walker Red to refill his drink.

"Dean, why don't we go back to the room and you and your dad can duke it out in the parking lot." She said lightly and Dean shot her a glare.

"Yeah because I really want to open that can of worms." Dean growled and poured himself another generous glass of whiskey.

"Can you just put your vagina away for a minute and stop being a little whiny bitch? Dean you get a second chance with your parents. Do you know how many people would kill for that? Sure they did some shitty things and died on you, leaving you with massive abandonment issues but they're your parents and you get a second chance to bond and shit. So why don't you stand your sorry ass up and let's get back to the motel so we can move on with our lives and get onto the inevitable hug-fest." Eve snarled angrily before standing swiftly and putting her hands on her hips. She glared down at Dean until he met her eyes with a cowed expression.

"Fine." He said lowly and Eve found herself basking in the glow of triumph. "After I finish this bottle." He said with a sly grin and poured himself another drink. Eve sighed and sat down.

"Well can you at least give me a couple of shots of that?" Dean contemplated her for a second before shrugging.

"Sure, babe." He said flippantly. Eve tried to ignore it. She really did but she couldn't because in the end she only human.

"Don't call me that." She said softly. Dean turned his hazel eyes to her and they were gentle and soft, unlike any other time before when they had met each other's gaze.

"Okay." He responded gently and poured her a drink.

They sat in silence for almost an hour before Dean paid their bill after standing unsteadily. He slung an arm across her shoulders as they made their out of the bar and into the parking lot. Their unsteady stumbling and half of Dean's body weight leaning on her made for an awkward walk back to the motel. It was only a twenty-minute walk so when they got close Dean stopped for a moment.

"I don't know if I can do this. If I can step into that room and pretend to be Pre-Hell Dean. I don't know if I can pretend to be someone I'm not anymore. I don't know if I can fake being alive when I'm not, not in any way that counts, not deep down inside." He laughed bitterly. "Cause inside I'm pretty sure there's not much left of my soul. I'm hollow in there… dead and hollow." He turned sad, empty eyes to Eve and she sighed, sitting down on a curb.

"Dean, you don't have to pretend. You don't have to fake it in front of your family." She said softly. Dean sighed.

"I can't walk in there as Dean the Broken Man, I have to go in there as Dean the Hunter, Dean the Unflappable…" he trailed off and looked at his hands. "What would they say if they knew Dean the Torturer?" his voice cracked and broke on the last word and Eve gathered him close, shushing him gently.

"It'll be okay Dean. We'll go in there and when you want to stop and you need some time then just signal me by scratching your nose and we can stop. Okay?" she said while rubbing his back. Dean nodded slowly against her.

"Okay yeah…" he removed himself from her and stood slowly. They started their walk back in near silence and it wasn't until they were close to the room that Dean spoke again.

"Thanks." He whispered and Eve smiled up at him.

"No problem." Eve thought that maybe she could find it in her heart to stop being angry with him now. She knew that there were more important matters just beyond that dark blue door.

* * *

Isabella listens to the stories flowing between the three hunters behind her with half an ear. She's stood like this for a few hours now, mind lost in the ether. She thinks of nothing in particular and merely remembers. She misses Castiel, with a fierce ache in her chest. It's been a month since she's seen him and she wonders what he's been up to since he left her in Bobby's kitchen. She just wants him next to her during this. She misses his touch and his taste and his eyes watching her. She wraps her arms around herself and wonders if she should just go and find him. She sighs inaudibly and tunes out the one-upping stories once more as she turns her attention to the sky. Night has started to fall and she briefly seeks Eve mentally. She touches upon the human and finds her in good spirits with Dean.

Breathing out a sigh of relief she settles back into her body and casts a glance at mother, father and son. Sam is telling John and Mary about a run in with a trickster they had a few years back. Isabella allows herself a small chuckle at the story before she turns back to the window, gazing sightlessly out into the world. The past month has made her bone weary. Castiel hadn't told her that being an angel was so exhausting. It doesn't matter that she doesn't really need to sleep or eat or anything anymore, she stills feels weary at the end of a particularly trying day. Castiel also hadn't told her that her Grace happened to burn brighter then most angels; as such demons did not have a particularly hard time finding her. She had spent much of her time in recent memory sending demons right back to hell, or rather annihilating them completely until there was nothing left. It had been trying but she was learning to cope. Her best coping mechanism was to simply go to a place where human frequented and just watch them. Sometimes she would end up in a church or something similar but most of the time it was a park or a mall. She would sit and watch and eventually she would start to feel like her old self. She understood now Castiel's total fascination with humans.

Isabella continued to keep watch carefully, stretching her senses further and further from herself and feeling out every last human she came across. It was lucky that other then the demon she had run into on their way into town there were no other demons in a fifty-mile radius. However it left her with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Even if there weren't demons close by it didn't mean that ones far from her couldn't sense her. They would pick up her scent like bloodhounds and come after her. Come after them. She stretches her senses further and further until she could feel them. It left an ashy taste in her mouth and make her skin crawl like there were maggots beneath. She shuddered and drew away quickly to her area of comfort far from the demons.

It was the sound of wings beating that initially caught her attention and she found herself tuning herself to the presence of another as tingles shot through her earthly body. It was a sirens song that drew her, a moth to a flame. A song that called to her and only her. She felt herself falling back to her earthly body and she gasped sharply as her eyes snapped open with the impact of her fall.

"_Castiel_…" she breathed out before turning swiftly. The others followed her gaze as it landed on the solemn angel standing in the doorway of the bathroom. The air crackled around them as their respective Grace answered the call of the other. Cas stepped forward, hesitant as he took a step before stopping.

"_Isabella_…" his rough voice was impossibly loud in the silent room and Isabella found herself closing the distance between them. He grasped her tightly by her upper arms, knuckles paling white as she clutched the lapels of his trench coat in her delicate fists. The press of his lips to hers doesn't startle her, rather the intensity does and she finds that he guides her to step… elsewhere. Another room, another motel in another state… or even another country. It didn't matter really where they were, as long as they were together. As long as he continued to kiss her like this, so desperate and starved and passionate, she didn't care where they were. She slipped her fingers into his damp ink hair and moaned as his mouth traveled to her jaw, nipping lightly and then to her neck where he sucked and nipped with abandon.

"I've missed your taste." Castiel hissed into her ear as his hands worked on her jacket.

"I want you." She murmured back as she worked at his tie before moving onto his shirt. When he had taken off he hadn't taken any clothing and left in a charcoal suit, a pressed white shirt and a deep blue tie. She gasped as he roughly ripped her shirt, tugging it off her as his mouth traveled to whatever naked skin he could find. Suddenly he paused, let out a broken gasp as he pulled away and rested his forehead on her shoulder.

"Cas?" she whispered concerned before he lifted his head and turned bright eyes to her own. His stubbled face was pale and he wetted his lips nervously, pink tongue darting out to glide across the pillowed flesh. Isabella felt her heartbeat pick up.

"I love you." He said seriously and steadily. And she blinked.

"I love you too." She said with confusion tingeing her tones. He sighed and lowered his eyes; sooty lashes brushing against the swell of his cheek.

"No…" he groaned frustrated. "I mean it. In an entirely human way. I don't just love you, the soul, the grace, the angel. I love you the woman. I love the way you taste beneath my lips and the sounds you make when I touch you, here and here." His hand settled between her legs and she gave a sharp gasp followed by a low moan as his hand move to cup a breast. "I love the feel of your heart beating with mine and how deeply and evenly you breath when you sleep. I love watching you brush your hair or paint your toenails, it's the sexiest thing I have ever seen." He said his voice husky as he reached out and twined a piece of her hair around his finger. His eyes flickered back up to hers. "Do you understand? How much I love you. The way I do?" She met his eyes with fierce determination.

"I understand, Castiel. And I love you too." She said seriously before drawing him closer. "I've missed you so much." She murmured against the skin of his neck.

"I too have missed you, physically, mentally and emotionally." He said between dipping his head and pressing his lips to hers when she turned her face to him.

* * *

Back at the motel room a silence had settled onto the group after arrival and departure of Castiel with Isabella in tow.

"Who was that?" Mary asked curiously. The other angel had looked vaguely familiar in a way. Sam sighed and knew that there was no beating around the bush.

"That was Castiel… Isabella's soul mate I guess and the angel that uhm... sprung Dean from Hell." John went still as Mary's hands flew to her mouth as she gasped.

"Is that why… I mean…" Mary stumbled over what she wanted to say before going silent.

"Yeah…" Sam said grimly.

"He uh… was there for forty years and uh… the angels sprung him out because of this whole apocalypse thing. He's their chosen one."

"Dean was in hell?" John asked tersely. Sam glanced at him before wincing and looked away.

"Before you ask… yeah. Alastair worked him over." John made a noise and looked at floor, a glazed look in his eyes. Mary glanced between them a question poised on her lips as the door of the motel room opened. The question was out of her mouth before she could take it back, and lord she wished she could.

"Wait? Who is Alastair?" she asked.

"_Alastair _is the demon who tortured me in hell. _Picasso with a Razor_." Dean said bitterly before sitting down on the closest bed and working his boots off. Eve fluttered around him anxiously, unsure what to do. The silence in the room was oppressive before Sam stood.

"I think that maybe we should continue this tomorrow." He said diplomatically.

"Now wait a minute, Sam! I want to hear this explanation!" John protested and Sam opened his mouth when Eve cut in.

"Its late, I'm drunk and tired. Dean's drunk and tired. Isabella is… with Castiel. Why don't we continue this pow-wow in the morning when most of the group isn't drunk and tired." Eve said evenly and opened the door to their room.

"Of course." Mary said and stood. She hugged her youngest before dropping a kiss on his cheek and turning to her oldest. Dean sat hunched at the edge of the bed as he worked off his boots, he did not lift his head until she cleared her throat. Only then did the man lift his head, hazel meeting hazel for a moment before his eyes flickered away from hers.

"Goodnight." He said gruffly and Mary drew back, disappointment flaring to life in her chest.

"Goodnight, Dean." She murmured softly before leaving the room.

* * *

Isabella awoke to Castiel's deep, even breaths as the pale dawn sunlight filtered into the hotel room they were in. Curious of their surroundings Isabella slipped from Castiel's grasp, the angel barely stirring as she gathered the impossibly soft sheet around her. There were French doors leading to a balcony so she tip toed outside where she had to blink in surprise. What looked like a mile away sat the Eiffel tower in all of its Parisian glory. A cool night breeze ghosted across her skin and she hitched the sheets higher and wrapped them tighter around her form. Behind her Castiel was stirring.

"The City of Love? _Really?_" She asked with a snort after she heard Castiel straighten in bed.

"I'm told it is the epitome of romance to be whisked away to Paris. For humans anyway." He said blithely as he came to stand behind her. He pressed his lips to her neck in a light kiss before wrapping his arms around her.

"It's a bit cliché but thank you." She said before turning in his arms and meeting his eyes.

"We have a lot to talk about." His voice was solemn and Isabella found herself frowning.

"Like what?"

"The Winchester's and your reckless decision to raise them." He deadpanned and Isabella drew backwards, away from him as she realized that Castiel was not happy about her and Raphael's decision.

"It needed to be done." She said shortly before turning away from him and pulling on her panties.

"It was unnecessary and reckless and Zachariah is not pleased."

"I don't care what Zachariah thinks or feels. I am God's right hand woman, Zachariah is beneath me." She shot back as she buttoned her jeans.

"They don't like what you've done. They're already looking for an excuse to seal you again, do not give them one." Castiel said in a pained voice. Isabella tensed and turned to face him, her shirt forgotten in her hands.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" She hissed while closing the distance between them.

"It means that they want to make you human again, make you forget. They want to take your Grace." He said, eyes not meeting hers.

"But why?" she asked as she finally remembered the shirt and pulled it on. The sound of beating wings reached her ears and she dropped her hand to wear her sword was.

"Because, _darling_, you rocked the boat." Raphael said after he appeared on the balcony. "Castiel." He said simply while inclining his head. He sat down on the plush bed and looked between them. "So Heaven is putting a discreet price on our heads?" he asked. And Castiel shook his head.

"Not yet. At least not that I know of. They're not pleased with your little resurrection." Raphael rolled his eyes.

"God told us to. He came to me in a dream." Castiel frowned.

"Angels don't dream." He said stiffly.

"Maybe not _fussy _good little soldiers… but others like myself? We do. So the question kiddies, is what are we going to do now?" The angel settled his green gaze on Isabella, automatically marking her as his leader.

"We wait. We keep our ear to the ground and an eye on our backs and fight to stay alive. We keep the Winchester's safe and try to stop the Apocalypse." She said in a steady voice.

"Well then, I will continue on my quest and you two should get back to the Winchester's." Raphael said before there was the sound of wings and he was gone. Awkward silence filled the air between the pair before Isabella spoke.

"Should I be worried that my lover is going to hogtie me and dump me in front of Zachariah?"

"Never. I was merely warning you that your actions have caught their attention. By the way, your other shoe is under the dresser."

"Oh. Thanks." Isabella retrieved her shoe and wedged it on before taking his outstretched hand. She shot one last glance at the messy room before her feet touched American soil.

Sam was outside when they arrived. The youngest Winchester was juggling two trays of drinks and a box of donuts as he walked away from the Impala. Startled by their appearance he almost dropped the drinks but Isabella quickly snatched them from his hands.

"Thanks." Sam grunted as he almost lost of the box of donuts. "Where have you guys been?" he asked as he opened the door to the motel room.

"Paris." Castiel said succinctly as he stepped inside of the packed room. One Winchester was conspicuously missing.

"Where's Dean?" Isabella asked as she distributed the coffee. Mary stared at drink she was handed with a confused look on her face.

"It's a Caramel Macchiato, I remember Dad saying once that you liked caramel…" Sam said nervously.

"Its basically fancy coffee." John explained and Mary took a small sip before a look of pleasure crossed her face.

"Starbucks… hmmm… this is pretty good." She said before settling the cup down and hugging Sam tightly. "Thank you, for remembering." She said before drawing back.

"Dean is sulking in the bathroom." Eve murmured to Isabella who rolled her eyes. Not bothering with any pretense she rapped on the door sharply.

"What?" Dean snarled.

"Dean Winchester, get your sorry ass out of the bathroom before I come in there and make you." She snarled back. There was short silence followed by under-the-breath curses and then the door opened. The Hunter was fully dressed and his hair was damp.

"Great! Now that Dean has joined us let's get started." Eve said brightly a hint of sarcasm coloring her tones.

"Started with what?" Sam asked as he polished off his second donut.

"Started with our plan of action." Isabella said as she looked around the room. "We have a lot of work to do and a limited amount of time. Why don't we all get in our respective vehicles and head to Bobby's before we get started on any plans?"

"Sounds fine to me." John said while standing. "Mary and I will take the truck."

"The rest of us in the Impala." Sam said with a nod.

"Alright, let's move out." John said before polishing off his coffee. Everyone scrambled to retrieve their bags and move out to the cars and Isabella managed to catch Sam alone.

"I want to talk, later, after we get to Bobby's about what you've been up to. For now though, call Ruby and ask for some hex bags. Heaven isn't happy about Raphael and me taking the situation into our hands and resurrecting your parents so we need to keep a low profile."

"The hex bags won't work forever you know." Sam pointed out and Isabella nodded.

"I know and there are more permanent ways but let's go with the hex bags for now."

"Okay… and Izzie?"

"Yeah Sam?"

"Thanks… for you know not being an _angel _about it."

"You mean not _killing _you the moment I found out?" Sam let out a nervous laugh.

"Yeah, that's what I mean."

"No problem, besides we need you."

* * *

A/N: So… how's everyone been? Oh god! Don't shoot me! I'm too pretty to die! Well… anyway, let me just say that this chapter has been waiting on a dead computer for almost a year. I was almost done with it last November when my computer crashed and a friend was supposed to fix it but then there was a lot of hemming and hawing and I told myself. Okay Phil's obviously not going to do but I have no money for the Geek Squad. Then I went through this absolutely horrendous rushed move in which my relatives sold the house and told us we had a month to move. There was a lot of scrambling to find a suitable place for five people and we thought we found a great place up until a few days before we had to be out. My mom's boyfriend checked it out and found a shit ton of health violations, painted shut windows, black mold, you know the usual. So there we were, about to be homeless because of greed when miracles of miracles we found an awesome place. Anyway, I finally took my computer to the geek squad and found out it was fucked but they could pulled all of my files off and put them onto a nice new external hard drive. And then I tweaked the chapter, fixed a few things and here it is. Sorry for the ridiculously long wait everyone! I'm an asshole. So… my prediction of the season is that Chuck is Jesus… we shall see. There are also things I need to address… I will not be doing the whole Adam Winchester thing, I already have one Adam that's a jackass I don't need another mucking up everything. I will go into season five but at most it will all be covered in about five (really long) chapters, a lot will be skipped over except for the essentials. Future Cas and Isabella, oh and Dean. The Four Horsemen, Castiel's increasing humanity, Dean's blackhole of a soul, Sam… being guilty and angsty and Sam-ish, Bobby wheelchair bound and… I think that about covers it! Wait also Crowley cuz I love him. Seriously. Love. Him. Anyway Swan Song will be vastly different… as you can imagine so in all likelihood season six is non-existent. As such, chapters will probably longer but fewer between, I know, I know, it sucks but I'm trying to focus on more original writing. Which brings me to the questions of… do you guys think that if I did a massive over haul could Absolution become an original story?

Thanks to: Zombies are evil, xburner21, Supernatural Believer, Supernatural Anomaly, jenni10121, ImmortalRoseOfTheThrons, Haruka Munashii, CrazySailorJohnny, chocolatemud, Kathie2808, Jenicky, ImmatureEvil, Foscarrelli, Fighter37, and Dead Roses Of Hate

Replies:

chocolatemud: Yup, things got crazy for these past chapters…things with Eve are definitely going to get better. Sorry it took so long to update…

Kathie2808: LOL, thank you very much! I hope I didn't make you fail your exam… then I'd feel like a jerk…

InLoveAndCrazy: Indeed, welcome to the party! Took you long enough get here, lol, I'm glad you found the party and thank you so much for joining us.

TheAFanFicWriter: Definitely continuing, there's probably going to be ten, maybe fifteen more chapters of the story, there's more in detail above in ye olde author note.


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